What a Life
by psychokitty3
Summary: When a sister is kidnapped at a young age, the remaining three are devastated. But, when Phoebe befriends a mysterious girl, Alexa Gordon, is there more to her than any of them ever thought? AU TEEN FIC, what else? PA, PL. chap 20 done!
1. A Missing Sister

AN: Yes, I know it's kind of been done, but this is DIFFERENT! Trust me. It's much different. Way different. Different is this? Yes. I think you get the point. Oh! And, in this fic, there is only a year between Piper and Phoebe. It's just easier to deal with if it's that way. so, that also means that Paige is only about three years younger than Piper. Oh! And, Patty died right after having Paige, so she's dead when Piper is three. Just wanted to let you know, as you would probably get confused without it. Happy reading!  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, it's kind of obvious that a person who does not own Charmed would be the only kind of people that wrote fan fics. Yup. So, I don't own Charmed. Never have, hopefully will. (Hint hint, Kern.)  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
Twelve years.  
  
Twelve years to the day. That's how long it had been since she had last seen her little sister. That's how long it had been since her little sister was kidnapped. Kidnapped by none other than demons. Demons. She sneered at the thought. Demons. The evil creatures that she risked her life every day to vanquish. To kill. To get revenge. For her beloved little sister.  
  
She had only been a little three-year-old girl when she was kidnapped. Taken by the vile creatures. She was taken, and most likely killed. Her little sister. She wiped a tear from her eye. 'I should have done something. I should have saved her.' she berated herself. She was only five when her sister was taken, but she remembered the day like it was yesterday...  
  
_'Pwue? Do you wants a cookie?' Prue looked up from her little kid book and looked at her younger sister. The little girl in pigtails was holding up a paper plate with a lone cookie right in the center. The cookie was chocolate chip, both of the girls' favorite. 'But, Pipe, isn't this your favorite?" Prue asked, looking into the little girl's cute chocolate brown eyes. 'Yeah, but you like it too, and I thoughts you would wants one.' Piper said, holding the cookie tantalizingly in front of her older sister's face. 'Okay.' Prue said, and grabbed the cookie. Piper smiled one of her wide grins. 'Thanks.' Prue said, and took a bite from the cookie.  
  
Just then, another little girl came toddling into the room. She had big baby brown eyes, and was, well, a baby. Actually, a toddler. 'Phoebe!' Piper squealed, and ran to the little baby. 'Pipa' the baby said happily, obviously trying to say her older sister's name. 'Pheebs!' Piper said, and hugged her sister. Prue looked at the scene of the two hugging with happiness. The two little ones were adapting to a life without a mother quickly. Prue wishes she could, but yet didn't. She liked her mother, and hoped to be one to her little sisters. She wanted to protect them.  
  
Suddenly, two monsters appeared in the room. 'Witches.' one of them growled. This attracted the three little girls' attention. Prue backed away from the monsters, but Piper and Phoebe were frozen in fear. 'Run!' Prue whispered quickly at the two, and Piper and Phoebe snapped out of it. Piper grabbed the two-year-old's hand, and ran down the hall, Prue following close behind.  
  
When the three arrived in the main entrance, the demons were nowhere to be found. 'Phew.' Prue said, a little too soon. The two monsters suddenly reappeared. Prue was about to scream for her Grams, when one of the monsters grabbed Piper. He took out something shiny and pointy, something that Prue knew was a knife, and put it against the three-year-old's tiny throat. "Don't scream, little girl, or bye-bye sister.' the monster holding her said. Prue closed her mouth and pulled little Phoebe close to herself, not wanting both her sisters in danger. 'Actually,' the monster said, looking at the other, 'It's bye-bye sister anyway.'  
  
And with that, the two monsters disappeared. With Piper, who screamed as she disappeared in the monster's arms._  
  
That scream. That scream would be implanted in Prue's memory for all of her life. The scream of her little sister before she... died. They didn't have any proof of that, though. Sometimes Prue would get a little glimmer of hope, but deep down she knew it was impossible for her little sister to be alive, especially after all these years. After all, her little sister, one of the Charmed Ones, had been kidnapped by DEMONS.  
  
The Charmed Ones. That's who Prue and her sisters were. The three most powerful good witches ever. Her and her little sisters, Phoebe and Paige. Well, technically, they weren't quite the Charmed Ones. They would have been, if Piper wasn't taken. They had needed the three different powers, telekineticy, premonitions, AND temporal stasis. Piper had had temporal stasis, or the ability to freeze time. Phoebe had premonitions, Prue had telekineticy, and little Paige had orbing. They had found out they were witches after the kidnapping, but they didn't have to start fighting evil until Paige turned seven. So, they had been fighting demons and balancing school and a social life for the past five years. The girls came down with various 'sicknesses' so often that Prue couldn't remember how many times she had supposedly contracted mono. Sickness was the explanation the girls used for when they had to take time off of school.  
  
Phoebe was now fourteen, and Paige was twelve. Paige had only been a few months old when Piper had been taken, so she had never gotten to know her sister. Phoebe, though she had been two, had a couple of memories about her sister. She missed her too, but not as much as Prue did. Prue always blamed herself for not being able to protect Piper. Her little sister. Prue had vowed to get revenge if it was the last thing she ever did.  
  
Prue got distracted from her thoughts by a loud crash downstairs. "Demon!" she heard Leo, their whitelighter and virtual brother, yell. Prue immediately jetted out of the room and down the stairs. She was heading for another slice of revenge.  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: Okay, this is kind of a teaser chapter, ya know? I know, I'm working on other fics at the same time as this one, but I really got started on this fic for some reason. I already have chapters that come in at various times written, so I'm definitely continuing this story. Oh, and I know there has been a story where Piper was kidnapped at a young age before, but this is so completely different. It's just like my stalker story, it's been done before, but it's completely different! Review, please! 


	2. A Troubled Teen

AN: Hey! Yup, I'm updating quickly!  
  
lillynilly - Thanks!  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
A teenage girl was sitting at a ratty desk in the corner of a small, but spotless, room. The girl had shining brown hair that went almost all the way down to her waist. She was on the short side, but that was hardly noticeable. It just meant that people had to look a little lower to look into her chocolate brown eyes, which were her most striking feature.  
  
As she heard a door slam, the girl jumped in her seat, her beautiful eyes widening in fear. Her father was home. He wasn't really her father, he was her adoptive father. And what a hell of a one he was.  
  
Hell.  
  
That's what he made her life. Sure, to the world, she was Ms. Perfect. She had it all. Nice clothes, perfect grades, and the most popular girl in the freshman class. But, that was all a lie. She wasn't perfect. Not the slightest bit.  
  
She lifted up the shirt she was wearing, revealing a large purple bruise on her lower stomach. It was from her last encounter with the man she was forced to call 'dad'. He used her as his own personal punching bag. Whenever he was the slightest bit angry, he would take a punch or a whack at the girl. And he was almost always angry. But, he never hurt her in a place that she couldn't cover up. That meant that he avoided hitting her face, neck, shins, and forearms. That basically left her torso, which hadn't felt pain-free in years.  
  
But, she never said a word. Never told a soul. What good would it have done? She would have been sent to another orphanage, and would most likely have to leave Seattle. She had no family, so no one could take her in. Also, there was the little incident five years earlier...  
  
"Bitch! Get here, now!" he yelled. The girl immediately turned and ran out of the door, wanting to satisfy his request as quickly as possible. She knew that it was her that he was referring to as 'bitch'. He hadn't called her by her real name in almost a year now. What was her real name? Piper. Piper... something. She didn't know who her real parents were, but always hoped that she would one day be rescued from this hell by them. By any family.  
  
She stopped running immediately when she entered the room that he was in. She put her hands gracefully to her sides and bowed her head. She was not allowed to even look where she wanted without his permission. "Look at me, bitch." he sneered, and she could see his feet in her vision. He was right in front of her. She snapped her head up and looked timidly up at him. She couldn't look confident in his presence. She had learned that the hard way as well.  
  
"Get me some cigarettes." he told her. "But I'm underage!" she protested, but immediately regretted it. He took her by the shoulders and pinned her to the wall. He brought his knee up quickly into her ribcage. She felt and heard one of her ribs break. He let go of her, and she slid down to the floor in pain, clutching her waist. "Get me some." he said. Piper nodded her head slowly. "I need money." she said quietly. "You have to give me a kiss first." he said, smiling. Piper stayed there, on the floor, refusing to satisfy this request. He kicked her in the stomach. "I said you have to give me a kiss first." he ordered.  
  
Piper slowly and painfully lifted herself up off the floor. As soon as she was standing, her 'father' leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the lips. He then pulled away, stuffed a ten dollar bill in her hands, and pushed her out the door, slamming it behind her.  
  
T:T:T  
  
Once outside, Piper could wipe off her lips. She was incredibly disgusted every time he did that. It always made her want to throw up. She then lifted up her shirt to inspect her lower rib cage. Sure enough, it was swelling badly. "Dammit." she whispered, and put her shirt back down. She then walked towards the nearest store that sold cigarettes. It was about four miles away, so she had a long walk ahead of her.  
  
About an hour later, she walked into the store. Since she knew that the clerk would never let a fifteen-year-old buy cigarettes, she would have to steal them. She carefully but unnoticeably looked around the store for where the cameras were located. This wouldn't be the first time that she would have to steal something for her 'father'. He had made her go out to get beer before, and other items that were illegal for teens to have, or were too expensive.  
  
She spotted the one cheap camera in the corner, and smiled inwardly. At least she wouldn't be caught. She had been caught before, back when she had lived in New York City. She was forced to steal a tux for her 'father'. She had been caught by the store clerk, and the police had brought her home. He had thanked the officers for bringing his little girl back, and promised them that she would be severely punished for the attempted shoplifting.  
  
And punished she was. It had been a nightmare. He beat her to the point that she had become unconscious. When she woke up, it was the next day, and her 'father' was packing their belongings in boxes. Before she could say anything, he had said "We're moving. Get to work." He had then tossed her an empty box, and motioned for her to get to work.  
  
She had ended up doing the rest of the packing, and loading of the car. "We are moving to Seattle, and you're new name is Piper Warren, kapeesh? You are not Piper Johnson anymore." he had said. She opened her mouth, but he had slapped her and said "No questions." She nodded, and they had headed off to their new home in Seattle.  
  
Piper walked briskly down the aisle, inconspicuously grabbing a pack of Marlboro, HIS favorite brand. She then put the rest of her plan into action. She grabbed a bottle of water from the back, and went up to the register. Behind it was a teenage boy, probably about eighteen. He looked her up and down. "What can I get for you, my lovely lady?" he asked. Piper was happy that he had said that, like she predicted he would. "You can't get anything for me, but you can get a clue for yourself." she sneered, and walked huffily out the door. After walking through the anti-shoplifting device, she dropped the water, tricking the boy into thinking that only the water had triggered the alarm.  
  
After she left, she sighed. She hated this. Breaking the law. But, she had done it, again. She had done it for HIM. But, she couldn't run away. And that was because of HIM. She had run away once, when they had lived in Little Rock. She had run away in the middle of the night, unnoticed by HIM. But, the next morning, when she was walking down a deep city street, HE found her. He pulled her into an alley, and beat her, even worse than the time she got caught. When she woke up, it was a week later, and she was in New York. And, her name was now Piper Johnson, not Piper Smith.  
  
Thinking back, Piper remembered all the names she had been. Piper Warren, Piper Johnson, Piper Smith, Piper Lewis, Piper Clark, Piper Turner, and Piper Clements. She doubted that any of those were really her last name. They had moved that many times, since she was three and adopted by HIM. And every time was when she got caught doing something wrong, or someone found out about him beating her. But, Seattle had been the place they had stayed in the longest. She had been there for three years.  
T:T:T  
  
When she finally got back home, she walked in on a pissed 'father'. "I'm sorry." she said meekly, bending her head down again. She found a fist mercilessly colliding with her side, and she fell to the floor. "Someone heard crashes and saw you come out, bitch. We're moving. Get packing." he said, tossing a box at her. "Where are we moving?" she asked. "San Francisco, Alexa Gordon."  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: I know, this is a crappy chapter. But, I wanted to show you all the hell of a life she has. Please, please review! 


	3. A New Student

AN: Okay, this will probably get a little confusing for a bit, but Piper and Alexa are the same person. They are both Piper. I won't refer to Piper as Alexa in the narration for too long, but she will be referred to as Alexa in speech and some thoughts.  
  
Sorry, no time to respond to reviews! But, thanks to all who did!  
  
Chapter Three:  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
It was two days later, and it was early morning at Baker High. Well, more like Baker Junior High/High. The school went from 7th grade through Senior year. Prue, Phoebe, Paige, Andy, and Leo were sitting at one of small tables in the corner, talking about the demon that they had recently vanquished. Well, Andy didn't help vanquish the demon, as he was a mortal with no powers. But, he was Prue's boyfriend, and he knew about the girls being witches. The only thing he didn't know about the girls was their missing sister, as they barely mentioned her themselves. And, Leo did go to their school. Even though he was actually, like, seventy or so, he looked like he was sixteen. He would keep aging until he was thirty, and then he would stop. It was a very long story, so he just told the girls that it was the way it was.  
  
"Pheebs, great job with that spell. It kicked major butt." Prue said, patting her little sister on the back. "Yeah, but she wouldn't have been able to finish saying the spell if it weren't for ME orbing a fireball that was about to hit her." Paige gloated. "Paige, stop being so full of yourself." Prue said. "But I'm so special." Paige said, batting her eyelashes playfully. It was true. She was special. She was the only known half witch/half whitelighter. That made her pretty special.  
  
"Hey, Pheebs, you paying attention?" Prue asked, noticing that her little sister wasn't participating in picking on her other little sister. Phoebe was jealously staring over at a large group on the other side of the school's front lawn. Almost all the boys in the school were surrounding something, but the girls couldn't figure out what, or whom, it was. The other four followed her gaze, and spotted the crowd. The girls were a little startled. They had realized that a girl was probably in the middle of the crowd. This surprised them. The three sisters were normally the center of attention, or at least the boys' attention. But, it seemed they were now all staring at someone else.  
  
"I wonder who it is?" Paige asked, still staring at the crowd. "I don't know." Prue said. "Well, I'll go find out." Leo eagerly volunteered. "Yeah right, buddy." Andy said, putting his hand on Leo's shoulder. "Yeah. You just want to see who the new hot chick is." Paige teased. "I do not! I just..." Leo started, but he was interrupted. BRING BRING BRING!  
  
"Saved by the bell, dude." Andy said, and he and Prue walked off. "Yup." Phoebe and Paige said in unison, and headed towards the school too. Leo rolled his eyes, and ran to catch up with them.  
  
T:T:T  
  
It was about ten minutes later, and Phoebe was in Science class. She normally liked Science class, but she didn't this year. Her lab partner was Louisa Hayden, the school snob. And, she didn't particularly like the day so far. Barely any of the boys were staring in her direction. Instead, they were all talking about the new hot mystery girl. "Her eyes are so... spectacular." she heard one of the guys whisper to his partner. Phoebe rolled her eyes. The boys used to say that about HER eyes. She decided, then and there, that she did not like this new girl.  
  
Just when Phoebe looked up again, the laboratory door opened, and in walked a girl. Not just any girl, but a girl that all the guys in the class stared at as she walked towards the teacher's desk. "I'm so sorry, ma'am, but I got lost. I'm new here." the girl said politely. "That's okay, Miss..." the teacher said. "Alexa Gordon." "Well, Miss Gordon, welcome to my class. We are partnered alphabetically in this class, so would you please sit over there? Everyone else, scoot over one!" the teacher barked, and everyone did as they were told, all the girls groaning. All the boys were too busy gazing at Alexa to be annoyed.  
  
Alexa walked down the aisle and sat in Phoebe's old seat. Once the lab began, she turned to Phoebe. "Hey, I'm Alexa Gordon. What's your name?" she asked kindly. "Phoebe." Phoebe replied coldly. Alexa was a bit taken aback. She was used to her 'dad' being mean to her, but this girl for no reason? Well, her 'father' didn't have a reason either, but that's not the point. At least Phoebe wasn't calling her 'bitch' instead of Piper, her real name, like her 'dad'. She decided to make a comeback.  
  
"Phoebe? Is that like Cher, or Madonna, or do you have a last name?" Piper asked. Phoebe couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, Halliwell, Phoebe Halliwell." Phoebe said. "Oh, very James Bond. Let me guess, you like pop culture?" Piper asked, a smile on her face. "What made you think that?" Phoebe replied sarcastically, a smile on her face. She had quickly changed her mind about Alexa. She seemed really cool. "Oh, nothing." Piper replied, playing along. "Miss Alexa, are you sassing me?" Phoebe asked. "Why, no, Miss Halliwell, I would never do that! I'm not that kind of person, or my name isn't Alexa Gordon!" Piper replied, smiling at her own little joke. That was an easy way to lie. "Well, then your name must not be that, or you would be lying, young lady!" Phoebe mock scolded. Both the girls burst out laughing. But, unnoticed to Phoebe, Piper's laugh did not reach her eyes.  
  
"Hey, do you want to join me and my group for lunch?" Phoebe asked. "Yeah, sure. Who's your group?" Piper asked. "Well, me, my sisters, my cousin, and one of my sister's boyfriends." Phoebe replied. "How many sisters do you have?" Piper asked. "Um... three, but we don't like to talk about one of them." Phoebe said, suddenly sounding depressed. Piper noticed this, and decided to steer the conversation away from that topic.  
  
"So, how's San Francisco?" she asked. "Oh, it's great! Chinatown is lots of fun, and the Golden Gate Bridge is a great place to watch the sunrise." Phoebe said excitedly. "Oh, it seems like you know this from personal experience." Piper said. "I do. My sisters and I go there the same day every year to watch it rise." Phoebe said. "What day?" Piper inquired. "April eighth." Phoebe responded. "Why then?" Piper asked. "Well, it's a day where we all need a lot of comfort." Phoebe responded, her face going downcast again. Piper decided to distract her.  
  
"So, cousin? He or she?" Piper asked. "He." Phoebe responded. "Oh, is he cute?" Piper asked. Phoebe smiled. "What about all your fans here?" Phoebe asked, glancing around pointedly at all the boys in the class staring in Piper's direction. "Don't care. Cute or no?" Piper asked. "Very cute. I would probably date him if he weren't my wh- cousin." Phoebe said, catching herself. She almost forgot that she had only known her lab partner for less than an hour, and that she didn't know about the family secret.  
  
"Oh, that cute, huh? Does he have light eyes or blonde hair?" Piper asked. Phoebe stared at her. "Why?" she asked. "My weaknesses." Piper responded quickly. "Yeah, he's blonde, with blue-green eyes." Phoebe responded, watching the smile stretch across her new friend's face. "Really? How old?" she asked. "Junior year." Phoebe said, and disappointment swept into Piper's eyes. "Oh.." she said. "I can't date guys that old." Piper said. "Why don't you just sneak out to meet him?" Phoebe asked nonchalantly. "NO WAY!" Piper almost shouted, and then continued speaking in a lower voice. "No. If my dad found out, I'd be in HUGE trouble." "Oh, come on, it can't be that bad." Phoebe said. "Actually, it's pretty bad." Piper said, not thinking. Phoebe looked at her queerly. "I mean, he's pretty strict." Piper covered quickly and believably. "Oh, that sucks." Phoebe said. "You have no idea." Piper whispered under her breath.  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: Oh, I know that this is really short, but that was a really good stopping point! Piper has met Phoebe! Yay! Review, please! 


	4. A Pretender

AN: Hey, I'm updating! How do you feel about that? I bet you feel good! Well, hopefully. Here's the chapter!  
  
lillynilly - Well, they don't really know that Piper is their sister, so it won't be weird. Thanks for the review!  
charmedangel429 - Well, I'm not exactly sure why. It was just the first name off the top of my head. Oh, and I wouldn't forget to update, I would just delay it! But, I'm not this time, so thanks for the review!  
naiya-isis - Yeah, just a tad. Need to work on your subtlety, do you? Thanks!  
Chub - Thanks!  
andy20 - Thanks!  
AsherSmasher - Thanks for expressing your point!  
winter blaze - Well, you won't have to, as she will here. Well, almost everyone else. Thanks!  
CharmedAli - Thanks, and what would be the point if they didn't eventually find out? Thanks!  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
At lunch, Piper and Phoebe went over to the four who were already sitting at the group's normal table. The four looked up from their lunches and immediately noticed that Phoebe was not alone. "Hey, guys!" Phoebe said cheerily, and sat down in an empty seat, motioning Piper to do the same. She did. "Oh, guys, this is Alexa. Alexa, these are Prue, Paige, Andy, and Leo." Phoebe said, pointing to each person respectively.  
  
"Nice to meet you." Piper said, and flashed a smile in Leo's direction. He smiled back. "Nice to meet you too, Alexa." Prue said, forcing kindness. She didn't normally like Phoebe's friends. Piper noticed that, but didn't let it faze her. She had suffered much worse greetings. Before she could open her mouth, Phoebe said "Prue! Don't talk that way to the girl whoattract guys like a magnet!" Piper blushed furiously. "I do not!" she defended quietly. "Yeah, right, and all those guys surrounding you this morning didn't prove that?" Phoebe asked, smiling. "You were in the center of that mob today?" Paige asked. "Was it that noticeable?" Piper asked, hiding her face in her hands.  
  
"So, have you always been popular?" Paige asked. "Not really..." Piper replied modestly. Phoebe rolled her eyes. "God, you are too modest for your own good!" she said, laughing. Piper laughed too. While they were laughing, the other four looked at each other. It wasn't like Phoebe to be this open with people she just met. "So, Alexa, where did you move from?" Andy asked after a moment. "Oh, Seattle. But I've lived all over." Piper responded. "Really? Where?" Paige asked. "Oh, before Seattle there was NYC, Little Rock, Orlando, Birmingham, New Orleans, and Houston." Piper said. "Wow. You move a lot. Is it your dad's job?" Phoebe asked. "Yeah." Piper responded. 'His job of being a bad person.' she thought.  
  
"What was NYC like?" Phoebe asked, and everyone leaned in to listen in. The boys had been conversing, but stopped when Phoebe asked the question. "Well, let's just say I ate the worm." Piper joked. "Oh, that SO sounds like something Pheebs would say."Prue said, smiling. She was taking a liking to Alexa now. "Pheebs?" Piper asked. "Yeah, our nickname for the middle Halliwell sister." Leo said. "She isn't the middle Halliwell!" Paige said. "'Cause I'm not a Halliwell! I'm a Matthews, remember?" she asked. "Why a Matthews?" Piper asked. "I'm their half sister, so that means I'm not fully related to these psychos." Paige said jokingly. "Which side are you related to?" Piper asked. "Oh, our... Mom." Phoebe said, looking down sadly. "Jeez, you guys sure have a lot of touchy subjects." Piper said, trying to lighten the mood. Phoebe opened her mouth to say something, but Piper cut her off before she began. "Just something I noticed." she said defensively.  
  
Phoebe then poked her in the rib. "Ow!" Piper said, a little louder than one would expect from a little poke. "Sorry. But, did you know that you are incredibly perceptive?" Phoebe asked. "Oh, I am not!" Piper protested. "Oh yes, you are! Do you have any faults?" Phoebe asked. 'Quite a lot.' Piper thought, but didn't dare think of saying it aloud. "Yes, I do. I panic easily, I tend to overdo, I always follow the rules, I'm a neat freak, need I continue?" she asked. "Oh, that's, like, the opposite of me." Phoebe said. "I am too laid back, I don't work hard enough, I never follow the rules, I'm a slob, and I probably shouldn't continue, as you'll find out soon enough." "Oh, will I?" Piper asked. "Certainly." Phoebe replied, nodding and smiling. "Now, wasn't that fun?" Prue asked sarcastically. Phoebe pushed her lips together and playfully glared at her elder sister.  
  
"So, how's San Fran?" Piper asked. "Oh it's okay. It's very... unusual. At least for us." Paige said before she could stop herself. "Well, I would imagine! From what I've learned from Phoebe, you guys are quite an interesting family." commented Piper. "Oh, really? And what exactly did she tell you?" Prue asked, throwing a glare at Phoebe. "Oh, just that you three are sisters, you live with your grandmother, and have cousin living with you." Piper answered. "That would be me." Leo said, smiling. "Oh, really?" Piper asked, smiling back. The other four exchanged knowing glances. It was obvious that the two with them had crushes on each other.  
  
"ANYWAY, what class do ya have next, Lex?" Phoebe asked. "Oh, um... I'm not exactly sure." Piper said timidly. "What do you mean? You got your schedule, right?" Phoebe asked. "Yeah, Pheebs, but it doesn't have subjects or anything, just room numbers." Phoebe winced. "Oh, that sucks." "Tell me about it." Piper said, rolling her eyes. "Well, what's the room?" Phoebe asked. "Oh, um... 324. I think." she added, after contemplating it. "Oh, ouch." Phoebe said. "Oh, PLEASE don't tell me you aren't in that class." Piper whined. "Oh, I am. It's just... it's Ms. Cosby, the worst history teacher EVER!" Phoebe complained. "Yeah, I agree with Pheebs here." Prue joined in. "She is pretty awful. She's hard, boring, and probably the most condescending adult existing on this earth. She was always accusing us of things we didn't do, and weren't even done. It's completely ridiculous!"  
  
"Oh, that sounds like lots of fun." Piper said sarcastically. "I think history sucks." Paige interjected. "Especially World War Two." she added jokingly, glancing over at Leo. "Oh, it was awful! Especially the lives of the army medics..." Leo played along with the joke. "Army medics? Who knows about those?" Andy asked, making the whole conversation a big joke.  
  
RINGRINGRING!  
  
"Aw, dammit, the bell." Piper said, throwing her backpack over her shoulder. "Yeah, we should have left, like, ten minutes ago. Room 324 is, like, on the other side of the school." Phoebe said, and she began hurrying off. "Well, nice to meet you guys." Piper called back, flashing one last smile at Leo.  
  
As she walked off, Leo followed her steps with his startling blue-green eyes. This allowed Prue to walk up behind him, unnoticed. She put her elbow on Leo's shoulder. This grabbed his attention, and he took a look at her. "You like her, don't you?" she asked the obvious. Leo just gave a slight nod. "Thought so." Prue said, and walked away.  
  
T:T:T  
  
"Are you sure he's a junior?" Piper asked Phoebe once they were out of the cafeteria. "Yeah, I'm sure Lex. But, what's wrong with going out with him?" she asked. "Strict dad, remember?" Piper reminded. "Yeah, I do. But, why don't you just sneak out?" Phoebe asked. "I told you, I don't like to break rules." Piper said. "Not even for Leo?" Phoebe pestered. Piper raised one eyebrow, looking skeptical. "Are you trying to fix me up with your cousin?" she asked, joking suspicion. "Yes, I am." Phoebe nodded, and Piper laughed.  
  
"So, do you want to come to my house to see him later? My Grams would love to meet you." Phoebe offered. "Sorry, but I can't. I have to let my dad know first. He, um... wants to know how my first day of school went, anyway. I promised him I'd be there." Piper lied quickly. "Oh." Phoebe said, a bit disappointed. "But don't worry, Pheebs. I'm sure I can set up a time soon." Piper reassured. Her 'father', whose name was Daniel, wanted her to have a good social life. Actually, he DEMANDED that she have a good social life. He demanded that she show the world that she was perfect, as to not raise any suspicion.  
  
Piper reached over and put her hand on her friend's shoulder, as a good gesture. But, Phoebe gasped, and closed her eyes. "Pheebs?"  
  
Phoebe had fallen into a premonition. She and her sisters were standing in front of a demon in an alleyway. It was light blue, with a yellow lightening bolt on its forehead and two gray horns sticking out just above it. It unleashed a few sideways tornadoes, knocking all three to the ground. It then shimmered out.  
  
Phoebe's eyes shot open, and she immediately noticed Piper's hand waving in front of her face. "You okay? You kind of black out there for a moment." Piper said, concerned about her friend. "Uh, yeah." Phoebe said. "I also think that it might be a good idea to wait, now that I think about it..."  
  
T:T:T  
  
It was the afternoon, and Piper tiptoed into her house. She and Phoebe had exchanged phone numbers, so they could contact each other and just talk. After History, they also had English together. In fact, they had found that they shared all their classes. But in English, they were told to write a poem. A fictional poem, but it could be based on a real event in their lives. Phoebe had liked the project, but Piper not as much. Phoebe had told her that she had a knack for poetry.  
  
Piper had not only hit it off well with Phoebe, but she had also gotten along with her sisters. Prue and Paige were really friendly, and they had told Phoebe to put Piper's number on the fridge. She also really, really liked Leo. Too bad he was so old, though.  
  
"Bitch, is that you?" Piper stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes. She heard Daniel's voice calling out her 'name'. "Yes, sir." Piper said politely. He entered her view, and she grew frightened. From the beer bottle he was holding, she knew that he had been drinking, and had most likely had too many beers. Her fears were justified when he walked up to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Piper winced and dropped her books. He leaned forward and tilted her head back. "Did you have a good day at school?" he asked, spitting his beer breath onto her face. "Yes, sir." Piper said, her voice straining to ignore the pain. "Good." he said, and let go.  
  
Piper though that it was over, but she was wrong. As soon as she took a step away from him, he grabbed her wrist. He then yanked it behind her and pulled it up. She yelped in pain. "Shut up. You made lots of friends, correct?" he whispered in her ear. "Yes." Piper said, gritting her teeth against the pain. "Good." he said cheerily. He then turned her around, and pinned her against the wall. He put his hands over her throat, and began choking her.  
  
"You are going over to someone's house tomorrow, kapeesh? And you are to stay for dinner. If you come home before seven, you will regret it deeply." He then threw her to the floor. She began gasping for breath. "Now, go up and do your homework." he demanded, and kicked her in the chest. She nodded, her eyes watering from all the pain she had experienced. "Go!" he shouted, and she quickly got up, trying her best to ignore the pain. She picked up her books, and ran out of the room. She knew she would have some bruises to hide the next day.  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: Yeah, I am going very intense with this fic. This will definitely be more angsty than my other fics. Please, please review! 


	5. A Little Mystery

AN: Sorry for not updating for a while, you know, school and all. You probably know how that is. Well, here's chapter five. Don't worry, I really like this fic, so I won't discontinue it.  
  
CharmedAli - Well, you'll see whether it turns out well or not, but they will find out. Eventually. I have lots of things planned before then, to really incorparate her in their lives. Thanks for the review!  
winter blaze - Thanks!  
naiya-isis - Well, um... I'm not gonna say anything 'cause I don't wanna give away part of my plot, but thanks!  
lillynilly - I actually haven't decided that. I keep going back and forth between the two. Thanks!  
Chub - Well, Grams meets her briefly here. Don't worry, there will be lots of angst in this story, but also some light moments, as I could never make something all angst. There is some humor, but there are the really angsty chapters too. I like the word angst. I didn't know what it meant until Isn't that sad? Thanks for your review!  
DragonflyFaith - Thanks, and don't worry, I won't stop! I love writing this fic, and have lots of plans for it! Thanks!  
OTHCharmedFreak - Yeah, it is bad, but that's the point. But, she's a tough chick. Teehee. Anyways, thanks!  
who wants to know - Thanks, and I am!  
charmed-greek - You know, every time I see your name I keep thinking it says charmed-geek. Anyway, it is not the name of one of the girls in season seven, and a lot of them use Alex, not just Alexa. It's just a really cool name, and I guess a lot of people think so. Alexa is just he name of one of my good friends, and although she isn't treated like this, she is kind of like Piper. Yeah, I like ones w/ Paige as the main character too, but I like Piper lotses. Yups. She's my fav, and Paige is a close second, and Phoebe a close third. Thanks!  
  
Chapter 5:  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
"So, why couldn't we vanquish that demon again?"  
  
It was the next day, and Prue, Phoebe, Paige, Andy, and Leo were sitting under one of the trees in the school's front yard. They had battled the demon that Phoebe had seen in her premonition. It had been a tough battle, and Leo had to do some healing by the end. But, they had not been able to vanquish it, just harm it, though they had doubted it would last.  
  
"Well," Leo started. "You needed the power of three, and you don't have that." Prue rolled her eyes. "God, why does every annoying demon need the power of three for a vanquish?" she asked. "Maybe 'cause they're the only ones that even have a chance against us?" Paige tried. "Yeah, which sucks." Phoebe interjected. "Agreed." Prue said, nodding.  
  
Meanwhile, Paige was looking over to the other side of the yard. There was another mob of boys. "I think Alexa's here." she observed. The others looked over, and they noticed the crowd. "Yeah, that would be the indicator." Prue said sarcastically. Leo just looked jealously over at the other boys. "Let's go help her out." Phoebe said, getting up and running towards the mass. Her sisters looked at each other, and realized that Phoebe must have a plan up her sleeve. They followed her.  
  
Phoebe ran right into the bunch. She maneuvered her way between the boys, not trying to attract their attention yet. Then, she saw her friend. She was wearing a very fashionable short-sleeve turtleneck, low-cut jeans, and a thick bracelet on her wrist. Not everyone could have pulled that off, but she did.  
  
"Hey, Lex!" Phoebe called out. Piper turned her head, and spotted her friend. She smiled. "Hey, Pheebs! Over here!" she shouted, waving. It seemed that all the boys wanted to know who the hot girl was talking to, and their mouths seemed to drop open when they realized that it was another hot girl. When Phoebe reached Piper, she leaned over and whispered "The boys took this quite well, didn't they?" They both burst out laughing.  
  
"What are you guys laughing about?" Prue asked. She and Paige had just run over, and it seemed that all the boys were staring at the four hot girls wide-eyed. Phoebe could swear that one of them had fainted. "Oh, just the boys." Piper whispered. "You're right, they are pretty hilarious, aren't they?" Paige asked. "Yes, very much so."  
  
"So," Piper began, changing the subject and facing Phoebe. "Do you think that our plans could fall on today? My dad said yes." "And what plans would those be?" Phoebe asked jokingly. "You know, the ones where I go to your house, and meet your Grams, and we hang out?" Piper refreshed. "That would be so cool!" Paige burst out before she could stop herself. "Okay, yes from Paige, but what about you?" Piper asked. "Oh, yes, good. It's good. Yay!" Phoebe said, and jump-hugged her.  
  
T:T:T  
  
"So, what exactly is your Grams like? And would she be okay with this?"  
  
It was the afternoon, and the four girls were walking up the driveway of Halliwell Manor, located at 1329 Prescott Street. It was a beautiful house. It had a reddish-pinkish outside, and beautiful wooden stained-glass windows. Piper thought that it was a magnificent place to live, and it seemed vaguely familiar.  
  
"Oh, Grams will be fine. We bring friends home without notice all the time." Phoebe said, waving it off. "Yeah, especially Pheebs." Prue added, and Phoebe nudged her. "Ouchies, Pheebs!" Prue said. "It's true." Paige whispered in Piper's ear. They both giggled.  
  
"Giggles! I hear giggles!" Phoebe proclaimed. "What are giggles?" "Well, they're like laughter, but a little quieter." Piper replied smartly. "I know what giggles are!" Phoebe said, lightly slapping Piper on the arm. "I just want to know why!" "Well, how are we supposed to know the roots of the word?" Paige asked, smiling. "NO! I want to know why you and Alexa were giggling just then!" Phoebe demanded. "Just when?" the two asked in unison, fake innocence playing across their mischievous features. "Back when... NEVER MIND!" Phoebe yelled, giving up on trying to get a valid answer out of the two. Prue, Piper, and Paige all burst out in laughter at their tricks on the poor little Phoebe.  
  
By that time, the girls had reached the front door and were walking through it, still laughing. Grams walked in. "Well, what are my granddaughters up to today?" she asked.  
  
"We're hanging out with our new friend." Prue said, and pushed Piper forward a bit. She immediately assumed the somewhat-shy demeanor that she had while meeting new people. Well, meeting new people except Phoebe and her sisters. "Hello, Ms. Halliwell. My name is Alexa Gordon. Nice to meet you." Piper said politely, holding out her hand. Grams looked a bit surprised by this gesture. Her granddaughters' friends were never this polite. She shook Piper's hand. "Nice to meet you too, Alexa darling." she said, smiling.  
  
"Come on, Alexa. Let's get some munchies." Phoebe suggested, wanting to get away from her grandmother, despite the warm welcome that was given. "Yeah, you guys get those, and we'll be in the other room, k?" Prue asked, and she and Paige headed off to the conservatory. "Okay." Piper said, and headed off in the direction of the kitchen.  
  
Phoebe followed Piper into the kitchen. She grabbed onto her best friend's arm, and she turned around. "What?" Piper asked. "How did you know where the kitchen was?" Phoebe asked, giving her a suspicious look.  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: How did she know her way to the Manor's kitchen? I bet you can guess! Please, please review! 


	6. A Meeting and a Beating

AN: I'm updating! Yay me! This is the second part of her time at the house, as the two together would have taken too much. Thanks for reviewing all of you, and please continue! I like hearing/reading what people think about my fics!  
  
lillynilly - Hmm, maybe. Teehee. Thanks!  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
Piper looked around, confused. "Um... I don't know." she said, and ran a few fingers through her long, silky hair. "I just... this place seems kind of familiar." "I bet it's just dŽjˆ vu." Phoebe said, shrugging it off despite her better instincts. "You've probably been in an old house like this before, with all the places you've been." "Yeah, I guess so." Piper said, trying to convince herself more than Phoebe.  
  
"Anyway, you said old." Piper said quickly, changing the subject. "This house is old?" "Yeah, it's pretty old. My great-grandparents moved in around 1906, after an earthquake knocked down the original house." Phoebe said, remembering the incident in which her family had found out that information. The Woogyman had cause her family a lot of trouble, especially her.  
  
"Earthquake?" Piper asked, shaking Phoebe out of her thoughts. "There are earthquakes?" "Yup, there are earthquakes, unfortunately." Phoebe said, shuddering. "I'm guessing you don't like earthquakes either." Piper said. "Yeah, I don't like them at all." Phoebe replied. "But, what else could we expect? I mean, San Fran is near the San Andreas fault, right?" "Yeah, but I never really thought about earthquakes. I've never been in one." Piper said. "Oh, then your first one will be lots of fun." Phoebe said sarcastically.  
  
"So, what do you want?" Phoebe asked, wanting to get away from the earthquake topic. "Um... what do you have?" Piper asked. "Three teenage girls live here. What do you think we have?" Phoebe asked. "Peanut butter and oreos?" Piper answered hopefully. "Bingo." Phoebe said, and pulled the previously stated items out of the nearest cabinet. "What do you want to drink?" Phoebe asked, setting the box and container down on the island. "Um, milk please. But, I can get it myself." Piper said, heading over to the fridge.  
  
"NO!" Phoebe shouted, a little forcefully, causing Piper to turn around. "What?" she asked. "Um, you're the guest. You just guard these little nummy items right here and I'll get the beverage. I want it too, and undoubtedly so will Prue and Paige." Phoebe covered quickly. "Okay..." Piper said, a bit skeptically, but stayed back. Phoebe strode over to the fridge and opened the refrigerator door. She maneuvered her hand around old potion ingredients, and grabbed the plastic milk gallon.  
  
"Got milk?" she asked, pulling it out and displaying it for her best friend to see. "No, but apparently you do." Piper pointed out.  
  
T:T:T  
  
The two girls walked into the conservatory, carrying the snacks. Prue and Paige were sitting on the couch talking, and trailed off when the two came in. Before Piper could ask any questions, Paige jumped up an squealed. "Oh, yeah! Peanut butter and oreos, my favorite!" she ran over and grabbed them both out of Piper's hands. She put them on the coffee table, and all four girls gathered around.  
  
"So, what's life like here?" Piper asked after a few silent but crunchy moments of pigging out. "Oh, it's BO-RING." Phoebe said. "Except in this house." Paige said. She received glares from both her sisters. "I mean, with us three living with our Grams and cousin." Paige covered up.  
  
"Where is your cousin?" Piper asked, her facial expressions eager. The other three gave each other knowing looks. "You have a C-R-U-S-H on him!" Paige teased. "That is so cute!" Prue said pinching Piper's cheek. "Ah, stop, stop!" Piper said, batting Prue's hand away. "I do NOT have a crush on him." Piper stated unbelievingly. "Oh, sure." Phoebe said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"ANYWAY," Piper said, wanting to change the subject away from Leo. "do you guys fight a lot?" "Yeah. They fight all the time." Paige said, pointing to her two older sisters. "Oh, we do not!" they both defended. "Oh, sure. You guys just frequently converse loudly and angrily." Paige said sarcastically, and Piper laughed.  
  
"So, what's life like at your house?" Prue asked, not wanting to admit that she and Phoebe were constantly at each other's throats. "Well, it's hectic right now, from the move and all. But, it will calm down again soon, it always does." Piper said. "Yeah, but what's your dad like?" Phoebe asked curiously. She didn't really have a dad, so she wanted to know. "Well, he's pretty strict, me being his only kid and all." Piper lied. "Strict?" Prue asked. "Like how strict? Grams strict?" "Um, he's really, really strict. I mean, he won't let me date yet." Piper said. It was true, he didn't let her date, but he was a lot more strict than she was letting her friends know.  
  
"Oh my God! I would SO die if I couldn't date!" Phoebe exclaimed. "Yeah, you would suffer from massive male withdrawal." Paige said sarcastically, and Piper raised her eyebrows. Phoebe read the look, and gasped. "OH, no. No no no no no. I haven't done IT yet. No. Not now. No." she said, shaking her head and shuddering in disgust. "Sorry, it's just the wording." Piper apologized.  
  
Phoebe waved it off. "It's okay. A lot of people think that about me, 'cause I do kind of act like a slut sometimes." she said. "Why?" Piper asked. "Because of the time she was caught making out with a guy behind the bleachers in sixth grade." Paige blurted. "Paige!" Phoebe shouted. "Well, it's true!" Paige defended. "Sixth grade?" Piper asked, eyes wide open. "Like I told ya, I'm kind of a rebel." Phoebe shrugged. "Apparently." Piper said.  
  
T:T:T  
  
The girls had continued talking like that for the rest of the time, and even all through dinner. They had all learned quite a lot about each other and their lives, although the three Halliwell sisters didn't know all that much about Piper. She had replied in lies to most of the questions. Especially to the ones about her home life and the moves.  
  
But, overall, Piper was very sad that she had to leave the Manor at about eight o'clock that night. She also hated that she had to go home that night, as the Halliwells seemed more like a family to her than Daniel ever had.  
  
"Bye, Alexa!" Phoebe yelled out the door as Piper walked down the street. She had told the family that she had accidentally told her father the incorrect address, and was going to walk down to where he was going to be. When they had asked why she didn't just call him, she said that her dad didn't have a cell phone, and he was out all afternoon. In reality, though, she had to walk home.  
  
It was a long trek home, but after all her experience, Piper had made it to her house by nine o'clock. They only lived about five miles away from the Halliwells.  
  
When she entered the house, she was immediately greeted by Daniel's fist. She stumbled back, trying her best to keep her balance. He reached over and pulled her towards him by her right bicep. He swung her around and flung her into a wall, and she fell in a heap. He kicked her over, and put his foot on top of her chest. "  
  
"You're late." he sneered. "You said to stay for dinner. That's what I did." Piper gasped. The recent events and the foot on her lungs had left breathing a bit of a challenge. "Yes, but I didn't mean that you could stay out until nine. You need to be taught a bit of a lesson." he said, and pulled her up mercilessly. She was still a bit dazed, so she couldn't defend herself from what happened next.  
  
He grabbed her left wrist and bent it. Piper heard a crack, and a searing pain shot up her arm, concentrating on her wrist. He threw her back on the ground, and her eyes began to water from the pain. She looked down at her wrist, and saw that it was bent in an odd direction. It was already a purplish color, and was swelling some. It dawned on her. He had just broken her wrist. It was the first time that he had purposely broken a bone. He had accidentally broken countless ribs, but this was the first time that it was on purpose.  
  
As she held her throbbing wrist, he looked down at her. "Don't be late again." he ordered, and tossed a wrist splint at her. He then kneeled down and said "You broke it on your bike, okay?" he asked. She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. He stood up. "Good girl." he said, and kicked her one last time. He then walked out the front door, slamming it behind him, leaving her lying on the floor.  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: I officially hate this dude, don't you? Anyway, this is chapter 6! Don't worry, I always have really slowly developing plots. Please, please review! 


	7. A Broken Wrist and Little Kiss

AN: A few things are being added to the plot of this story, as a boy-girl relationship and a little dramatic irony. Please, please review!  
  
Chub - I already have how it's all gonna work out planned out, so your things just confirm what you guys would like. And, with all that stuff, they do sisterly bonding stuff on the show, so that's what I portrayed. Also, I know how to do it, as I have a sister of my own. I would also expect it to be hard for Piper to cover up everything, as living a big lie would be a very hard experience. Yups. Thanks!  
winter blaze - Yeah, I kind of proclaim him as kind of the antagonist of this fic. Yups. Thanks for the review!  
Faith Kingsley - Thanks!  
me - Thanks!  
Mysterious Midnight - It's okay, I get confused too. I sometimes just review about half the author alerts and just read the rest. Thanks for the review!  
lillynilly - You're screaming at the computer? Is it being bad? Does it need a spanking? Aw, bad computer! Behave! NEWAY, thanks bunches!  
CharmedMilliE - Thanks, and it could be better than those? Thanks! I love to outdo myself CharmedAli - Yeah, she knew where the kitchen was. Could it be that she is starting to remember her past a little bit? Anyway, thanks for reviewing!  
  
Chapter 7:  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
Phoebe shot straight up from her bed. She was covered in sweat, and she was burning up. She hesitantly looked down at her left wrist. It wasn't swollen, it wasn't purple, and it wasn't bent oddly. It wasn't broken. But... it had been so real. The dream seemed so real, too real.  
  
She had been beaten because she had been late. The man had been so strong, so controlling. She had never had a chance to defend herself. She was so scared throughout the ordeal. She felt as thought the guy was going to kill her, all for just one little mistake. Phoebe had never had that kind of nightmare before, and she never wanted to have it again.  
  
She shakily lifted herself out of her bed, and headed to the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, and looked at herself in the mirror. She lifted up her pajama shirt, just to check if there were any bruises or scratches. There were none. But, she had felt all that pain. Something was very wrong with that dream...  
  
T:T:T  
  
Phoebe hadn't gotten anymore sleep that night, so she was nearing exhaustion by the time she got to school the next morning.  
  
"Hey, guys! Over here!"  
  
Prue, Phoebe, Paige, Andy, and Leo turned their heads, to see Piper waving over at them from under a giant oak tree on the side of the school. They ran over to their friend immediately after responding to her call.  
  
"Oh my God! What happened?" Paige asked right away, indicating Piper's broken wrist. "Oh, I went on a nighttime bike ride after I got home from your place. Kind of stupid, huh?" Piper lied. "You okay? You want to sit down?" Leo asked, guiding her over to one of the roots of the oak tree that was jutting up and was somewhat like a bench. "I'm fine. It's just a broken wrist." Piper said, blowing it off like she were talking about the weather.  
  
"Let me see it." Prue said, standing in front of Piper and holding both her hands out. Piper looked at her queerly, and then transferred the look onto her sisters. "Motherly instinct." Paige answered her silent question. "Kicks in whenever ANYONE is hurt." Phoebe added. Piper nodded, and put her splinted wrist in Prue's hands.  
  
Phoebe just realized something. Her friend had a broken left wrist, and so did the girl in her dream. But, after a moment of just staring at it, she brushed it off. Her friend even had a couple of scrapes to prove that it was a bike accident, and not someone abusing her. At least, that's what Phoebe hoped.  
  
Prue seemed satisfied about something, and gave Piper her wrist back. Piper curled up into Leo, resting her hand on his chest. He stroked her hair, and just held her with the other arm. Phoebe was distracted from her thoughts when Paige put her hand on her shoulder. Her little sister was smiling at the two, and began discreetly pulling Phoebe away from them. Andy was doing the same with Prue. The four backed away from the two crushers, giving them some time to themselves.  
  
Piper was just melting into Leo's embrace. She suddenly felt safe, free from the hell that was her life. She felt pure happiness. Leo looked down at the girl in his arms, and he was happy. He felt as if he were holding the most beautiful girl in the world in his arms. She looked up at him, her soft chocolate eyes meeting with his intense aquamarine ones. They moved towards each other at the same time, their lips meeting at the perfect moment.  
  
The two pulled away quickly from the soft, tender kiss. Piper turned her head so he could not see her blushing. He pulled her closer to him, so she was basically sitting on his lap. She happily settled into her new position, and cuddled into him as much as she could.  
  
Prue, Phoebe, Paige, and Andy, deciding that the two lovebirds had had enough time together, decided to walk back over to them. "Hey, Alexa. So, what did you say about not having a crush on Leo?" Phoebe asked right away. She loved it when she could prove others wrong, and herself right. Prue playfully hit her on the arm. "Phoebe! Don't rain on their parade!" she scolded.  
  
RING RING RING  
  
"Oh, bell. Come on, Leo." Piper said, and they both got up and headed towards the building. The other four smiled after them. The two were holding hands, and Leo was carrying some of her books with his other arm.  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: Sorry for the short chapter, this just seemed like a good place to stop. I'm going to start speeding up the plot just a little bit, as I have a lot to do with this story. I love intricate plots, and out-there ideas, so that's what you can kind of expect in this story. Please, please review! Please! I'll try to get in another update soon, so the quicker you review, the quicker it will come! 


	8. A Few Telling Poems and an Open Door, Um

AN: I'm skipping ahead a little bit in this chapter, as I want to really get into it now. Also, you might or might not want to read the stuff that makes this chapter look so long. I don't know whether or not you will want to, but I would to see a lot more feelings and stuff. And, there is quite a lot to take in, as the second part is very short. Yups. Read the chappie and review, please please please!  
  
Mysterious Midnight - Thanks, and don't worry, it won't be too long. I'm really moving along the plot, and only, like, a few really major events are going to happen, and then, well, you'll just see for yourself.  
CharmedMilliE - Thanks!  
lillynilly - Yeah, it's sweet, but this isn't a total P/L fic or anything. It has a lot of sisterness in it, but still, there is some P/L. Um... you'll just see when that happens. Thanks!  
naiya-isis - Don't worry, this is a longer chapter, so review, review! Thanks!  
CharmedAli - Everyone wants them to find out soon. I wonder why? JK! Thanks!  
piperleo4eva - Ah, damn the homework! Don't worry, I hate homework too and am normally doing this instead of that. Whoops! But, thanks so much for reviewing!  
Chub - Thanks!  
Faith Kingsley - Yes, I did update. Yay me! JK. I do love it when authors update frequently, which is why I try to. I am really getting lots of inspiration for this fic at the moment, so I'm kind of leaving my others on the rack for the moment. Whoops. But, thanks for reviewing!  
OTHCharmedFreak - Yes, thanks! Oh, no, I'm not forgetting about this story! I like it too much, and I do have school, so it takes me a bit longer than some other authors.  
  
Chapter 8:  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
A few weeks went by without a hitch. Piper was able not to raise any suspicion from her friends, and able to keep the fact that she had a boyfriend away from Daniel. She was also getting even closer to the Halliwell sisters, while developing a pretty intense relationship with Leo. Although they had just met, they were falling for each other quickly.  
  
Meanwhile, Phoebe hadn't had many more nightmares. Also, the beating she got were less severe, though she had a broken wrist in every one of them. She still felt all the pain she received from the beatings. The thing that creeped her out the most about the dreams, though, was they weren't really recurring. In recurring dreams, the same thing happens over and over again, but that wasn't the case in these dreams. She was beaten in every one, but not the same way, nor for the same reason.  
  
And, she always woke up with ringing in her ears. The only other time she had that was when she was coming out of a premonition, which increased her ponderings about her nighttime antics. Could they actually be premonitions of actual events? Could the girl in her dreams, the girl who's shoes she was in, be an innocent that the girls had to protect? Phoebe hadn't quite figured out the answers to those questions, so she didn't tell her family about them. She wanted to be sure that they were something to worry about before she alerted them to her stupid little nightmares. Though, all along, she had a feeling that they weren't stupid, and that they weren't nightmares. She had a feeling, deep inside of her, that they were real.  
  
That morning, though, the group was gathered under the oak tree that had become their traditional hang out spot. The two couples were making out against the opposite sides of the trunk of the large oak, and Phoebe and Paige were just talking a ways away from them, as they didn't care to see the tongue motions of their sister and close friends.  
  
"Think they're done yet?" Paige asked, stealing a glance over at the other four. Phoebe looked over at them, and then looked at her watch. "Well, if they aren't, they are doing some mighty tongue aerobics." she said sarcastically. "And, this is the longest they've done it yet. It's been almost fifteen minutes." she added. Paige pulled a disgusted grimace. "Oh, God, why did we have to get here early?" she asked. " I don't know." Phoebe answered, and the two looked over at the happy couples yet again.  
  
"Damn, we need some male blood." Phoebe said. "Tell me about it. Our batteries are going to run out." Paige commented. Phoebe stared at her. "Our batteries?" she asked. "You know..." Paige's voice drifted off, and she made little circles with her hands. "Oh, yeah. I agree." Phoebe said, getting the meaning. "Do you wanna go to the mall tonight, maybe? Just to, you know, scope the fish?" Paige asked. "Scope the fish?" Phoebe asked, staring at her sister again. "You know, the guys?" Paige asked. "You do know you use really weird analogies, right?" Phoebe said. "So? Every fish has it's colors." Paige said.  
  
"Okay, you wanna go to the mall? That'd be cool." Phoebe said, wanting to distract her sister from the whole fish thing. "You guys are going to the mall?  
  
Phoebe and Paige turned around, and saw Piper and Leo behind them. Prue and Andy were apparently still making out. "Yeah. You guys wanna come?" Phoebe asked. "Well, I'd have to ask my dad, but I'd love to come if I can." Piper said. She REALLY hoped that Daniel would allow her to go to the mall, as she might also escape some hurt for it. Her wrist was healing really nicely, so she knew he would get more severe with the beatings, as her broken wrist was the only reason that he wasn't going all out.  
  
BRING BRING BRING  
  
"See ya'll tonight, hopefully!" Piper called out, and she and Phoebe headed off in the direction of their class.  
  
T:T:T  
  
It was the last period of the day, and Piper and Phoebe were near boredom exhaustion. In all of their classes, all they did was take notes and listen to the most monotone lectures ever. On top of that, it was cloudy, which made the drab even more unbearable. Luckily the girls' next class was English. The teacher was very hands-on, so that class wouldn't be as boring. Hopefully, at least.  
  
"Class, may I please have your attention?" the teacher asked, standing in front of the twenty-so students. Everyone immediately turned their attention to her. "I have finished grading your poetry project, and might I say, I was very disappointed in them." Everyone groaned, knowing that this would affect their homework amount, as if they didn't know the material, they would get more practice. "But, I have to say, I was impressed with two of them, and I would like to read them aloud."  
  
Everyone glanced nervously around at each other, wondering whose was going to be read aloud. Many of the poems written were somewhat personal, and they didn't want the whole class to find out about what was written. Despite the worries, everyone tuned in once the teacher began reading.  
  
"Poem One:  
You don't know me too well  
I kind of thought that you should somehow  
But then, who would expect?  
All of you would for now.  
  
My lies, my fears  
My thoughts consume  
The one once known  
And will resume  
  
The shadow dwells  
Deep inside  
The one within  
Must always hide  
  
The ghost of what  
Once was known  
Must be the one  
That's always shown  
  
The pained soul  
The tortured heart  
The wounded sprit  
The player's part  
  
No truth spoken  
All lies told  
By the one  
Sitting out in the cold  
  
So reach into your pocket  
And pull out some hope for me  
'Cause I just can't keep pretending  
I need you all to see.  
  
Poem Two:  
  
The sorrow within  
Has bitten and eaten  
At this wounded heart  
But it still keeps on beatin'  
  
You are the one  
The thing we don't talk about  
You are the one  
The little thing we do without  
  
I loved you  
You were my best friend  
Together forever  
Until the bitter end  
  
But it came to soon  
Our parting day  
The day you permanently  
Went on your way  
  
The scream, it haunts  
My terrors in the night  
The horrible sight  
The weakened fight  
  
I am trying  
To live my life on my own  
But what would have happened  
If together we had grown?  
  
Where are you now?  
I'm trying to get by  
With never knowing at all,  
Dear sister of mine  
  
What is the chance of finding you?  
What is the key?  
What I could never understand I  
s why you couldn't stay with me  
  
So here is a message  
To the one I hold dear  
You're always welcome  
Please come home, back here."  
  
The class was completely and utterly silent after the teacher finished reading. They were all wondering one thing. Who had written those poems?  
  
Well, all except two were wondering. Phoebe was amazed that the teacher had thought her poem was good. She had written the poems from her true feelings about her missing sister. They all thought that she didn't remember the day that she was taken, but she remembered it very well. She would never forget her older sister. She had pledged that to herself long ago.  
  
Piper, meanwhile, was extremely nervous. 'Will anyone figure out that it was me who wrote it?' she asked herself. She didn't want a repeat of what happened those years ago.  
  
T:T:T  
  
That night, Piper walked up the driveway of Halliwell Manor. She had gotten permission from Daniel, as she told him it was the 'in' event, that everyone had to go if they wanted a high place on the social ladder. He actually accepted quickly, which was a first.  
  
She rang the doorbell, and, after a moment, the door opened. It revealed the tear-stained face of her best friend. Piper, completely befuddled, just stood there. Phoebe collapsed into her, crying her heart out.  
  
T:T:T:T  
  
AN: Sorry, but I just HAD to leave a cliffie! Yup yup! But, why is Phoebe so sad? You'll find out soon, as I intend to update quickly! Please, please review! 


	9. An Overwhelming Sadness

AN: I know, I know, you all hate my guts. I haven't updated in over a month, damn school! Oh, well, I DO have quite a few of the future chapters already written, I just couldn't think of anything for this one. I am so, so sorry! I just had writer's block, and almost no time to write! But, don't worry, there will be a time in the future where you get frequent updates that isn't too far off! I'm trying to hurry it along by skipping ahead with each chapter, just so I can get to that part. You have lots and lots in store for this fic, and don't ever, I mean EVER, think I forgot about it, because I haven't. Please, please review at the end of the chapter! A recent review reminded me that I had to write the last paragraph of this fic for you guys! Again, I am SO sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time! Gosh, I keep getting worse about it...

CharmedMilliE - Um.. you'll see the answer this chapter! This explains it! Thanks for the review!  
angel1178 - Thanks for the review, and I'm really sorry that I didn't fill out your request!  
versatilecutie - Um... let's see... you'll find out soon, you'll find out soon, you'll find out soon, and... no. But, well... you'll just see. I know, I gave you know answers, but if I told you the answers, you wouldn't read the story! I'll try to update sooner so that you can get relief from the migraine! Thanks for the review!  
lillynilly - Um... you'll see! Thanks for the review!  
CharmedAli - You'll find out, and thanks!  
winter blaze - Oh, the first one was Piper's, the second one was Phoebe's. Just wanted to clear that up. Thanks!  
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piperleo4eva - Sorry! Thanks for the review, although you did cuss at me. Don't worry, I feel the same way sometimes!  
andy20 - Thanks, and you'll see!  
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Again, thanks to all my fans for waiting so (im)patiently, so please, enjoy your read and review!

Chapter 9 (finally):

T:T:T:T

Piper just held her best friend, letting her tears soak through her shirt. Piper knew that it would take a lot to break through the strong outer shell of the resilient Phoebe Halliwell, so she was anxious to find out what had happened. She didn't want to intrude on the family, but wanted to get Phoebe to sit down. She led Phoebe into the Manor, into the living room, and onto the couch. Phoebe seemed to graciously accept the opportunity to sit, and still kept sobbing into her best friend. Piper reassuringly rubbed her back, just being there for her friend. 

Finally building up the courage to speak to Phoebe, Piper asked "Honey, do you wanna tell me what happened?" "Grams... she's, she's .... she's ..." Phoebe said, almost incoherently. Piper, knowing of Grams' heart problem, assumed the rest of the sentence. She was a bit shocked by the fact, though. The Halliwells' grandmother sort of became the parent figure she never had. Although she had only known Grams for a short time, Piper felt a great sense of loss from the passing of the elderly woman. A small tear slipped down her cheek. "Oh, Pheebs." Piper whispered, pulling her friend closer into the comforting embrace. 

Piper glanced up, and noticed a teary-eyed Prue coming down the stairs. She watched as Prue spotted the two of them, and wiped the tears from her face, pulling herself together. Prue then came into the room. She stood in front of the two teens on the couch, and said, "I just got off the phone with the police. They're gonna come p-pick up the b-body in a few minutes." Phoebe sobbed louder at that, and Piper just stared at Prue. She had no idea that their Grams had died THAT recently. If Prue had just gotten off the phone, then Grams had probably died, at the most, about ten minutes earlier.

Prue, meanwhile, was a bit jealous of Piper. Although her grandmother had JUST died, Prue felt as if her younger sister should be crying on HER, not her best friend. "Prue!" Prue turned around, and a crying Paige was standing at the bottom of the steps. She ran up, and cuddled into her older sister. Prue felt a little better, now that she had someone leaning on her. 

Just then, there came a knock on the door. "I'll get that." Piper mouthed to Prue, and transferred the crying Phoebe onto the said's older sister. "Thank you." Prue mouthed, sincerely grateful. She knew that she needed to spend all of her energies comforting her sisters, and would break down if she had to be strong for someone else.

Piper walked to the door, and opened it wide, revealing a number of people. "Hello, Ms. Halliwell..." one of the policemen started, but he was cut off. "No, I'm not a Halliwell, I'm their friend, Alexa Gordon." Piper corrected, ignoring the voice in the back of her mind that said 'Wait... that sounds WAY too familiar...'. "Well, Ms. Gordon, we got a call of a Miss Penelope Halliwell recently deceased." the policeman said, and Piper nodded. "She's this way."

T:T:T

Piper spent the next few hours comforting her best friend and her sisters, whom were also her friends. They sent Phoebe and Paige to bed early, in Prue's room, so Prue finally got to break down. Piper had spent the last half an hour comforting her. Not only did Piper comfort Prue, but they talked, just talked. No sisters, no other family, just the two of them talking. It was the first time that the two had really been alone together. 

"So, you're adopted?" Prue asked, facing Piper. The latter just nodded. She didn't know what had caused her to divulge the information to Prue, as she had never told anyone before. She just felt like she could just tell Prue anything. She completely trusted the older teen. "Wow. So you've never known your real parents, just like us?" Prue asked and Piper nodded again. "Gosh, what's life with your 'dad' like?" Prue asked, although Piper had heard that question a thousand times. She replied cryptically. "Well, it has its ups and downs." 'Ups as in being flung up to the ceiling; downs as in being pushed to the ground.' 

Just then, Leo walked into the room, his heavy footsteps alerting the girls to his presence instantaneously. "Leo? Didn't hear you come in." Piper noted skeptically. "Well, um... I guess you were too busy talking." Leo covered immediately. "What are you doing here early, Leo?" Prue asked, wanting to change the subject. She guessed that he had orbed in, and didn't want her friend to get suspicious. "Well, picked up a rose, and it pricked me. It mad SENSE that it was PAINFUL." Leo said, putting emphasis on two of the words. Prue got the message, but Piper just arched one of her eyebrows, showing confusion. 

Prue opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it, tears welling up in her eyes for the umpteenth time. Piper looked into Prue's eyes, then back at Leo. "Um... can I talk to you in the kitchen?" Piper asked, pointing to the said room. Leo looked at Piper, at Prue, then at Piper again. "Sure." he said, and the couple headed into the kitchen.

T:T:T

Once they were safely in the other room, Piper turned to Leo and took a deep breath. "I don't know how to tell you this, so I'll just come out with it." Piper said, closing her eyes. Leo began to worry a bit. "Grams is dead."

Leo felt his mouth drop open. "What? Why, how?" he asked frantically. He should have known that Grams was dead, he should have been able to sense it. But, he wasn't able to, since he was only the girls' whitelighter, not their Grams'. "She had a heart attack. She died a few hours ago." she said, looking away as a tear fell from her eye. Leo saw the tear glistening as it made tracks down her cheek, and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, Lex." Leo said, running his hand through her hair. She buried her face in his shoulder, and cried. She felt sadness, a great sense of loss. It was only the second time in her life she had felt that way. The other time was when she was in the fourth grade.

After a few moment, she pulled away. "Leo, are YOU okay? She's YOUR guardian. What are you guys gonna do?" she asked, getting increasingly concerned about her friends' well being. Leo was startled by her questions. Those thoughts hadn't occurred to him. He had completely forgotten about what Prue, Phoebe, Paige, and himself would do without a guardian. He looked down at his girlfriend, and found himself looking at the top of her head. He put his finger under her chin, and gently tilted her head back so that he could see into her eyes.

"Don't worry about that, okay?" he said, and caressed her cheek. "We'll be okay. I promise." Piper just stared at him, unconvinced. Leo glanced up. He heard the Elders jingling him. He then looked back down at his girlfriend. The last thing he wanted to do right then was leave her. 'Wait... I have charges, the girls. I shouldn't be thinking about just her, I should think about them too.' Leo told himself, and looked into her eyes again. 'No, it's definitely her I don't want to leave.'

The Elders jingled him again. 'It's important, Leonard.' he heard them urge. He knew that he HAD to go. "Honey, I think I'm going to go to bed. I think sleep will help me work things out." Leo lied, and Piper nodded. "Yeah, I should probably get back to Prue." she said, and wiped all traces of tears from her face. She straightened her clothes, and gave Leo a peck on the lips. She brought her hand up to his cheek, and caressed it. "You'll be okay, honey." she said, and headed out the room. As soon as she was out of sight, he orbed 'Up There'.

T:T:T

Piper walked into the living room to see Prue with her hand over her mouth, silently crying. Piper sat down next to the elder girl and Piper put her arm around Prue's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. Prue leaned sideways and put her head on Piper's shoulder. Piper ran her fingers through Prue's hair in a comforting fashion, tucking the loose, raven black strands behind her ears. 

"Thanks." Prue said after a few moments. "What for?" Piper asked curiously. "For being here. It means a lot to all of us." Piper smiled. "Hey, what are friends for?" she asked, and Prue smiled as well. 

Just then, Piper looked up at the grandfather clock. It read twelve thirty. Her curfew for that night was one. She hated to leave, but she knew that she had to. "Oh, gosh, it's twelve?" Prue asked rhetorically. "I better get to bed. I want to be wide awake tomorrow." Prue stood up, and Piper followed suit. "And I better be going." Piper stated. "Bye." Prue said, and Piper pulled her into another comforting hug. After a moment of friendly embrace, Piper pulled back. "I'll come as soon as I can tomorrow." Piper promised, and picked up her purse, which she had left on the floor in the beginning of the night. "Have a good night's sleep, Prue." Piper called as she headed out of the door. "You too." Prue whispered under her breath as she saw Piper head out the door.

T:T:T:T

AN: Okay, this chapter didn't have much use except to show how close Piper really was to the Halliwells, and to have Grams out of the picture. Don't worry, I have a solution all worked out for what's going to happen, and I'll try to update a lot sooner than I did this time. Please, please review! I don't care if you yell at me for not updating, just please review! I beg of you! Please, even just a little letter! I really just want the reviews! Pretty please? 


	10. A Terror, a Plan, and a New Man

AN: Okay, there are two things that you should praise me for (No, I'm not conceited at all (rolls eyes)) First, I am updating sooner. Yay me! Second the plot is really going to ove along now, and some questions will be answered this chapter. Please read on to find out the answers to question I know have been nagging at your brain,, and don't forget to review at the end!

goldband - I know, I always suck at my chapters that are right after a really long bout of writers block. Thank you!  
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CharmedMilliE - Thanks, and they will find out soon enough, trust me!  
winter blaze - Thanks and ur welcome!  
piperleo4eva - Jaffa cakes? Sounds yum. Thanks! Oh, don't worry about the whole cussing thing, I was just commenting on it. I don't mind it at all, and you'll see that in later chapters (three guesses as to what those chapters are about). Yup, cussing is fun. And, you've been at the Coke? What the fk does that mean? See, that was a pun. Teehee! Thanks!  
Mysterious Midnight - I know, I was bad (smacks self on hand). Feel better? You should, that really hurt. Oh, it was French, not Spanish. Sorry, I take Spanish, and tres means three in Spanish, so that's why I was confused. You Frenchie Fry! Sorry, nickname for the Frenchies (French students) at my school, and no offense is intended. Don't worry, it IS coming soon! I promise you that! It's gonna begin getting sorta intense and EXTREMELY suspenseful after the next chapter! I do promise you that! Thanks!  
versatilecutie - Sorry, but it ISN't beyond her curfew, at least not tonight. It is on other nights, though. Thanks for the review!  
Faith Kingsley - Hyper much? Thought so. Oh, and did you know that you are the first person to mention the connection between Daniel and the bastard Piper dated in the second season? It's unbelievable, and yes, that is what I intend this Daniel to look like. Thanks!  
OTHCharmedFreak - Oh, thanks for the flattery! Sarcasm. I am so hurt! Don't worry, no offense taken. Thanks!  
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Charmed Ali - Thanks!  
andy20 - Thanks!  
P3-CharmedForever - Don't worry, this is faster, isn't it? Thanks!

Chapter 10...

T:T:T:T

As soon as Piper left the Manor, she dashed down to her bike, which was sitting against the Halliwell's driveway. She hopped on top of the bike, and sped off towards her house, despite her fatigue. Along the way, she silently congratulated herself for remembering to take her bike to the Manor that day. It would have taken her at least an hour to walk home if she hadn't remembered it, and she didn't have that kind of time. she knew that she had to get home by one o'clock, or else she would most certainly be severely beaten.

About twenty minutes later, Piper, thankfully, pulled up in front of her house. She quickly parked her bike by the side of her house, and dashed silently up to the front door. She wanted to be as silent as possible, just in case Daniel happened to be asleep. She knew that he would most likely be waiting for her to come home, in the case that she was late, but she was hoping that he had fallen into a drunken state of unconsciousness just so that she wouldn't have to face him. She had gone through enough emotional turmoil that night, and didn't want to go through any mental or physical torture by her 'father'.

Piper sighed as quietly as she could when she closed the door behind herself and the room was pitch black. But, suddenly, a lone table lamp flickered on. Sitting in the easy chair right next to the lamp was Daniel, a smirk on his face and an empty beer bottle in his hand. She froze in her tracks, frightened by the mere sight of him. He flicked his sleeve a bit down his arm, and checked the time on his leather digital watch. "12:55. You are very lucky, bitch." he said.

He then stood up, causing Piper to take a small step back out of fear. he strode towards her, and grabbed hold of her hair, causing her to involuntarily wince. "You were very close to the curfew, bitch." he said, and flung her into the wall. She hit it, hard, and sunk to the floor, her back pressed as hard as possible against the wall, and her legs bent in front of her to protect her abdomen. He walked forward until he was standing right above her, and looked up and down her cowering figure.

"Where are your bags?" he asked, smiling his eerie smile. "I-I didn't by anything fo-for myself. I jus-just bought st-stuff for my friends to get into th-the 'in' crowd." Piper stuttered. The events of the night, her state of tiredness, and the fact that Daniel was now towering over her combined to increase her normal rate of fear and emotional stress. "And what friends would those be?" Daniel asked, kneeling in front of her now, putting his face right in front of hers. not wanting to endanger her friends' lives, she wanted to make up names, but she couldn't think of any. She frantically searched around the room from something, anything, that would lead her to think of names. Finally, she spotted something on a tabletop that sparked an idea.

"Their names are Louisa, may, Ally, Cody, Lilly, and Woody." Piper said, hoping that the names wouldn't be easily connectable. She had spotted one of her all-time favorite books, LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott, on the table. Daniel, not spotting the connection between the names but thinking that she didn't mention everyone, raised the beer bottle right above her head, as if he were preparing to bring it down on her skull. "Are you sure that's all?" he asked, noticing as her eyes were drawn to the bottle. She nodded her head shakily. 

"Fair enough." he said, and harshly pulled her up by her neck. he rammed her into the nearby door frame, and then threw her rougly to the floor. "No, get, before I change my mind." Daniel said, pointing in the direction of Piper's bedroom. She scrambled onto her feet and ran to her room, not wanting to anger him further.

T:T:T

Just as Daniel was about to head towards his room, he heard a noise behind him. he whirled around, and immediately noticed a figure in the shadows. Knowing who the figure was, Daniel kneeled on the floor, his head bend down. "My Liege." he said, respect dripping from his gruff voice. Out of the shadows came a tall, cloaked figure. "You've done good work, Greasehair, very good work." a deep, evil voice stated. "She is very frightened of you." "Thank you, Master." Daniel said. "But, may I ask the reason for your pleasurable visit?" The cloaked figure seemed to nod. "As you know, she is reaching the age of sixteen. The date on which she was born is in only two months. Do you know what that means?" it asked. "No, My Liege, I do not." Daniel replied. "Incompetent fool. It means that she is reaching the Age of Choice. The age decided upon by both sides as to when someone can decide their fate. To be good, or to be evil. We need her to choose evil." 

Daniel dared to look up at the figure. "But, My Liege, she is too good. She would never commit the irreversible act of killing an innocent. Her heart is too pure, maybe the purest of all of the wretched Halliwell witches. She did not even kill the flies that infest some of our past abodes." Daniel said. "The purest of them all? You know as well as I that she is our only chance to defeat Good permanently. She does not know of her powers yet, and once she does, make sure that she chooses evil." the figure demanded. "But, My Liege, what powers? She does not have them." Daniel was confused, very confused. 

"Correction, Greasehair, she DIDN'T have them, she does now. Well, not technically, but they are somewhere inside of her. Thanks to the potions that we have given her every year on her day of birth, she will not be able to use her powers without knowing that she has them. But since the elder Halliwell witch is now deceased, the younger witches will be able to find her, maybe with scrying, or the wretched 'middle' sister's power of premonition. The magic that kept them from finding her has been stopped, so it is now possible to find her."

"What shall I do because of that, My Liege?" Daniel asked. "We need to speed up the process, to make her evil a bit before her birthday, for her to be predisposed to it on the date. You have done quite a good job with putting her through, what most call it, 'hell', but you need to bring it up a notch. You need to make her feel like she will never be safe, attacking her more and spying on her. Punish her much more greatly for her faults and mistakes. She needs to feel as if she would do anything to get out of the life you have made for her. Even kill." the evil figure stated. "But, I'm not an innocent, I'm a demon. How could she kill an innocent if her rage would be towards me?" Daniel asked. 

"Well, there's a prominent social worker here in San Francisco, helping many people with their problems. Disgusting. You must find some way to inform her that this woman is the reason that she is with you, so she kill the woman." the figure instructed. "Yes, Master." Daniel said. "Don't forget, bring it up a notch." the figure said, and then flamed out. Daniel looked up at the ceiling, and smiled.

T:T:T

Right where Daniel was looking, Piper was sleeping in her bed. The day had ben very draining, especially in the emotional area, so she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She was just feeling restful in her subconscious when she was awakened by a door slamming open. Piper shot up, her hand over her heart in surprise. She glanced frantically around the room, looking for the cause of the noise. She looked up at her door, and saw it open, with Daniel standing in the doorway. Her immediate reaction was to back up against the headrest. 

"Hello, bitch." he said, slamming the door behind himself as he stepped into the room. She just watched as he moved closer, her eyes wide open, and her body shaking. He reached forward and caressed her cheek. She gulped, watching the motion of his hand. At the bottom of her cheek, he suddenly grabbed her throat. Hard. She began struggling for air through his strangling grip. "I heard you got a B on your latest science test." Daniel sneered. "I'm not happy about that. You could have done better. You could have gotten an A." Piper began seeing big black spots in front of her eyes. "You should have tried harder, knowing what would happen if you displeased me. I bet you thought I wouldn't find out. I did find out. You mess up again, I will find out. You better watch your step, because you never know when someone's watching. I'll let you in on a little secret. I'll ALWAYS be watching." he whispered. Those were the last words she heard before she fell into the realm of unconsciousness.

T:T:T

Five miles away, Phoebe Halliwell shot up out of her bed, her hand on her throat, gasping for breath. She searched frantically. around her room, double checking that her dream was just that, a dream. It wasn't a dream, actually. It was a nightmare, and one that was similar to the other that she had been having recently. Phoebe was really beginning to worry about the dreams, but didn't want to worry her family. They had other thing on their minds now, especially now that Grams was... dead. The very though of Grams brought tears to Phoebe's eyes. Suddenly, Phoebe's door flew open, and Leo ran in.

Phoebe nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden noise, as it reminded her of the nightmare. Leo, thinking that she had only jumped because he had woken her up, apologized. "Phoebe, I'm so sorry, but I had to tell you and your sisters something. Prue and Paige are already waiting in the living room, and all we need now is you." Leo said. Phoebe, sensing the urgency in his voice, followed him down their grand staircase and into their foyer.

"It's about time!" Paige said impatiently as soon as Phoebe walked into the living room. "Jeez, I was just woken up, Paige." Phoebe responded irritably, although she wasn't speaking the truth. "Guys, now is not the time to argue." Leo tried to mediate. "You're right. Two in the morning the day after our grandmother died is not the time to argue. It is the time to know why the hell we're up this early!" Prue said, withheld anger seeping through. Leo, a bit alarmed yet a bit used to her emotional hostility, decided that she was speaking the truth.

"Well, the Elders have been discussing what to do with your current situation. They decided that having school, lives, struggling to stay afloat, and saving the world would be a little much for you." Leo was about to continue, but Phoebe cut him off. "They've been smart, for once." she commented, rolling her eyes. Leo, deciding to ignore the comment, continued. "So, they decided to send you a parental figure to watch over you so that you wouldn't have to worry about social services, and they have decided to pay him for his work so that you could all stay afloat. This is, of course, only until Prue is in her Junior year in college." Leo informed them.

Paige rolled her eyes. "So, what, they gonna send us some old lady who likes tea and cookies or something?" she asked, a bit annoyed. Leo smiled, and shook his head. "Nope, sorry, no tea and cookies." he said. "Do you want me to call him?" "Call him?" Prue asked. "You're guardian is a whitelighter." Leo informed, and the girls nodded their heads. "I wanna meet who I'm gonna have to call 'dad'." Paige said, sounding VERY annoyed that she would have to pretend to like the person watching over herself and her sisters. "I don't think you'll have a problem doing that, Paige." Leo said, and the girls arched their eyebrows, very confused.

"SAM!" Leo called, his head faced upwards. Blue and white orbs swirled into the room, and materialized into a middle-aged man. The man was about average height, with prematurely gray hair and some unshaven whiskers. "Sam?" Phoebe asked, facing Leo. "Wait, Sam as in mom's whitelighter?" Prue asked, and Leo nodded his head. Paige turned, open mouthed, to the man. "Daddy?" she asked, and Sam nodded. Surprisingly, a grin broke out on Paige's face. "Daddy!" she squealed, jumped off the couch. She ran over to same, and squeezed him tight. Sam, with an ear-to-ear grin spread across his face, hugged her back. 

Not wanting to interfere in the special moment, Prue and Phoebe huddled a bit away from their two happy family members. "I'm so happy that Paige's dad could come take care of us, even if ours couldn't." Prue said, and Phoebe nodded. Prue face the two huggers again. "I guess thing aren't so bad after all." she added. "Yeah, I guess they aren't." Phoebe said. Her face was unconvinced, though. That dream of hers was still tugging on her mind...

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AN: I'm sorry if I made the sisters seem a little to under-grievous in the last part of the fic, but they had already cried quite a lot, and Sam showed up. Also, when they did flashbacks to Grams' death in the show, Piper was the one that was all emotional about it. And, since Piper isn't there, they aren't as emotional. Also, they have already suffered quite a lot of losses, and one that they haven't discovered is a found yet, so they are kind of used to loss. Also, with the demon's name, I just couldn't resist, it was too tempting! Please, please review! It would oh so totally make my day! 


	11. A Love Revealed and a Secret Unsealed

AN: Yay, another update! Well, this chapter isn't that good, and it's short, but it does lead up to the events of the next chapter, which lead up to the events of the next, and then the next. Okay, that's just a bit obvious with a story, but this chapter IS important, despite what you may think. You'll see why at the end, of course, but I just want you to read through 'til then! Please, please review at the end, please! I will grovel if need be, just please click the little button!

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Just as promised, Piper had arrived the day after Grams' death to help and comfort the sisters. She hadn't had the chance to meet Sam, as he was out on his whitelighter duties, but she had heard quite a deal about it, and about how much of a 'coincidence' it was that he had found his long-lost little girl on the same night her grandmother and sole guardian had died. Piper had been joyous at the announcement that her friends would not have any trouble with social services or trying to support themselves, but she was still grievous about Grams' death. She had felt Grams was her mother, as she had never had a strong female figure in her life. In fact, she had never really had a female in her life, being raised by the bastard that was Daniel.

The next few days after Grams' death, the Halliwell sisters had not been at school. To make up for their absences, Piper and Andy had come over to the Manor everyday, letting the three in on the latest gossip and other trivial facts about school, and had brought their homework and classwork, just in case they were up to working on schoolwork. The two friends had also helped Prue, Phoebe, and Paige back into their normal routines with little baby steps; not pushing thing too fast, but also not letting the girls sulk in misery.

Three weeks to the day after Grams' death was a Friday night, and the third straight that the Halliwell sisters hadn't been out of the house. That night was what the girls had proclaimed as a 'girls-only movie night'. They had sent Leo out with Andy, and had invited Piper over to watch some mindless comedies. This night was the most normal activity that the girls had done in the past few weeks.

Piper rang the doorbell at exactly six o'clock, carrying three boxes with extra-large pizzas inside. She was thankful that Daniel had extended her normal curfew or the second time, to ten thirty, so that she could fit in two movies with her friends AND get home in time. She hadn't had to do any groveling for the extension, though, and that worried her. But, she just shrugged it off as him being in a really good mood, despite the nagging feeling in her gut. She didn't want anything to interfere with the night she, Prue, Phoebe, and Paige had planned.

One of the beautiful, wooden, stained-glass, double doors of the Manor opened, revealing a smiling Phoebe behind it. Piper smiled as well, as the sight of Phoebe's cheerful grin had become a rare sight recently, so it was definitely progress for it to appear on the teenager's face. "Hey, Pheebs. Got pizza?" Piper asked, indicating the three boxes balanced gracefully on her right hand. "No, but apparently you do." Phoebe said, and the two burst out into laughter. That little switch-off had become an inside joke between the two after it had been done the first time Piper was in the Manor.

"Can I come in? These are getting heavy." Piper said after a moment. "OH, sure!" Phoebe said, just realizing that Piper was still outside, and still carrying the pizza boxes. Phoebe stepped to the side, allowing Piper to walk in. The latter headed towards the kitchen, and Phoebe began following her, but Piper said "NO, it's okay. I'll get the pizza for you, Prue, and Paige, and you guys can pick out the first movie we watch, okay?" The look on her face implied that what she said would go. "Okay." Phoebe said, shrugging, and headed into the living room.

T:T:T

As Piper was getting the pizza ready, she was so preoccupied in her preparations that she didn't notice Leo and Andy orb in right behind her. Leo looked like his normal self, and Andy looked a bit disoriented. He was holding his head, and was about to say something when Leo nudged him in the ribs. Leo had just noticed his girlfriend was also in the room, and, luckily, with her back facing them. Andy noted her presence as well, and shut his mouth.

"Napkins, napkins, where the hell are the napkins? Piper whispered to herself, and began looking around the counter for them. She suddenly turned around, looking for the napkins, but found something else. She yelped, and put her hand over her heart. "Dammit, Leo, you scared me half to death!" she scolded, though it had a limited effect due to the fact that she was smiling the entire time. Piper couldn't help but smile when Leo was in the room. Her stomach would tingle and her whole body would warm whenever she even thought about him. "What are you guys doing here, anyway? I thought that this was a girls-only night, and I didn't even hear you come in." Piper added.

"I was here admiring your beauty." Leo answered, a smile on his face. He not only complimented his girlfriend, but he had dodged the subject of how they had gotten into the room silently. "You do know how corny that is, right?" Piper asked, grinning nevertheless. "I happen to know that one of your favorite foods IS corn, my sweet." Leo said, pulling Piper closer to him. "Really?" Piper asked. "I didn't think that you were listening." "I listen to everything you say." Leo said, and her grin grew wider. "That's so sweet." she whispered, and gave him a tender kiss.

The two pulled away when they heard Andy clear his throat. The looked over at him, and immediately noticed how uncomfortable he looked. "I hate to break up the romantic moment here, but it's still kinda gross. Since, you know, you've become, like, a sister to me, Lex, and I've known you all my life, Leo. It's pretty disturbing to see you two kissing." Andy said, looking anywhere but at the couple. "So the sisters say." Piper said, rolling her eyes.

"Lex!?! You comin' in here or what?" Phoebe's voice sounded from the living room. "I gotta go." Piper stated, immediately regretting that she had agreed for only the female gender to be present that night. Leo pouted. "Aw, do you have to?" he asked, his eyes pleading with her to stay. She placed her hand on his chest. "I don't wanna go right now, honey, but I gotta watch movies and pig out with the sisters." Piper stated. It was the first time in her life that she didn't want to do what the four girls had planned.

"You SURE that they wouldn't want me there?" Leo asked, still wanting to spend the night with his girlfriend. "I don't kn-AH!" Piper yelped in surprise. Leo had just lifted her up into his arms, one arm supporting her upper back, and the other right under her knees. He twirled around, and she giggled. She felt so safe in his arms; she knew that he wouldn't let her fall.

Just then, Paige walked into the kitchen, unnoticed by the happy couple, but greeted happily by the disturbed Andy. "Hey, Paige, nice of you to join us! As you can see, I am having a lovely time at your house, watching Lex and Leo make out!" Andy said sarcastically, a big, goofy grin on his face. He ran up to Paige, shook her hand, and showed her the delightful sight of Leo holding Piper, and the two lost in a passionate makeout session.

"But… this is girls-only night." Paige protested, and tapped Piper on the shoulder. Piper immediately pulled back from Leo, and Leo put her gently down on the ground. "Oh, hi, Paige." Leo said, wiping some lipgloss from his lips as Piper neatened the lipgloss on hers. After her lips were shiny again, Piper put on an I'm-so-innocent smile on her face. "Can the boys PLEASE stay tonight?" Piper asked, adapting a puppy dog look on her face. Leo and Andy did the same. Paige, looking around at everyone, caved.

"Okay, fine, they can stay. That is, if Prue and Phoebe want them to." Paige said, rolling her eyes. "Yay!" Piper said, clapping cutely. "Yah!" she yelped, as Leo had picked her up again. "Might I carry you into the theatre, ma'am?" Leo asked, in as gentleman of a voice as he could. "Of course, my fine man." Piper answered, adapting a British accent. Leo slapped a grin on his face, and carried Piper into the living room.

T:T:T

"Hey, what are you doing here, Mister?" Phoebe asked as soon as the couple came into sight. "Why, I am carrying this fine lady into her movie-watching area." Leo said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "But it's girls-only night." Prue pointed out, and then Andy walked into the room. "Nevermind." She quickly added, and ran over to her boyfriend. They hugged, and then they kissed on the lips.

"Okay, sorry to break this up here, people, but how are Phoebe and I supposed to have fun if you guys are making out the entire time?" Paige asked, finally making her presence in the room known. "Aw, Paige, do they have to go?" Piper asked, as she was on the ground again. "Is there any way that they can stay?" Prue asked. "There is one way…"

T:T:T

About three hours later, all six kids were watching a movie. The two couples were together on the couch, while Phoebe and Paige were on the floor right in front of them. Prue was sitting in Andy's lap, hugging him tightly. Piper was sitting right next to Leo, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Her eyes were wide open, and she was staring at the screen. Phoebe and Paige were pigging out on their third bag of popcorn, as the group had finished the three pizzas during the first movie. Phoebe's left and Paige's right arms were intertwined, their hands holding each other at the end. The other hands were spontaneously grabbing popping the popcorn into their mouths.

Suddenly, all of the girls screamed. The psycho killer in the movie had just begun attacking one of the main characters, and it was really freaky. The six were watching a horror movie, as that was Phoebe and Paige's condition for allowing the boys to stay. The movie was scaring the bejeebies out of Piper, but she watched it with her boyfriend by her side. She could do anything when Leo was by her.

T:T:T

After the last movie was over, Piper looked up at the clock. It was 10:05, leaving her just enough time for her to get home before curfew. "Oh, guys, I'm sorry, I gotta go." Piper said, looking at the grandfather clock. "Do you really have to?" Phoebe asked her friend. "Yeah, I gotta go. Curfew, you know?" she asked, and the three sisters nodded. They knew curfew too well. "Can I walk you to the door, then?" Leo asked, holding out his arm. Piper nodded, and the two headed into the foyer as the others headed off into another non-archway attatched room.

Right in front of the door, Piper and Leo turned to face each other. Leo reached up, and caressed Piper's cheek. She closed her eyes against his touch, feeling its warmth flow through her body. "Alexa?" Leo asked, after pulling his hand away. Piper nodded. "No one, and I mean NO ONE, has ever made me feel the way you make me feel. Everytime I see you, you just seem to make my day better. I have this feeling inside that I can't explain. I think… no, I KNOW, that I love you."

Piper stared up at Leo after his little speech. She couldn't help it. She couldn't think of anything to say. No one had ever told her that before. No one had ever said 'I love you' to her before. No one. Ever. Before she could stop them, tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face. Leo, thinking he had offended her, started apologizing. "Oh, Alexa, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have sa-" Leo was then cut off, as Piper put her finger to his lips. Since she still could not talk, she just hugged him. A romantic, passionate embrace.

After a moment, Piper pulled away, tears still on her face. Leo reached his hand up, and tenderly wiped her tears away. "What's wrong, honey?" he asked, making perfect eye contact with her. She quickly averted her eyes. "It's nothing." she whispered. "You're crying, it can't be nothing." Leo persuaded. "It's just… I haven't felt this way before, either." Piper said, telling the truth. She had never felt the way she felt just then before, but that wasn't the reason that she was crying. Leo grinned widely. "Really?" he asked hopefully. Piper nodded. The two then headed towards each other, lips locking in the most powerful kiss either of them had ever experienced.

After a while, Piper pulled away, smiling. She was the happiest she had ever felt in her life. She and Leo made eye contact, and she pecked him on the lips again. She then made the fateful mistake of glancing at the grandfather clock.

It was 10:20. There was no chance that she would get home on time. Piper's smile dropped immediately. "Oh crap, I really gotta go, Leo." she said, regretting both having to leave Leo and the fact that she would be late. "Okay, bye, honey." Leo said, and opened the door for her. Piper hurried out of the door, and turned around in the middle of the lawn, blowing a kiss at him. He grabbed air with his hand, catching the kiss. Piper smiled, and jumped on her bike. She knew that she wouldn't be so happy in about twenty minutes, so she wanted to savour the moments while she could. With one last smile up in Leo's direction, she sped off on her bike, pedelling away.

T:T:T

Unbeknownst to the two lovers, there was an ordinary car parked in front of their neighbor's house, the neighbors that lived across the street. Inside of that car, Daniel was sitting there, a beer bottle in his hand. He watched as Piper pedelled down the street, and started his car. "Lying bitch." he murmured under his breath. "You shouldn't have lied to me, nor been with your family. You're gonna pay, big time." he told himself, and sped down the street.

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AN: Now, that would not be good, would it? I didn't think so. Please, please review!


	12. A Thing Bad and Sad

AN: Hey, guys! I'm getting a little less creative with the chapter titles, well, at least this one. I need a muse for that here, people! Also, I'm SO happy that holidays are coming up! Happy Holidays! I will most likely update at least once before Christmas, so this won't be the last time I will say this! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Winter Solstice!

Sorry I didn't respond to reviews last time, but I totally forgot! Here are the ones for this time:

CHARMEDMILLIE - Thanks so much!  
VERSATILECUTIE - Yup yup yup! 'Tis bad. Thanks!  
WINTER BLAZE - Thanks, and will do!  
MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT - Yay, you won't be angry with me! I'm happy! Done, and thanks!  
LILLYNILLY - Will do, can't say, you hope that, and thanks!  
CHARMEDALI - Are you British? If you are, cool. I like the British, they're awesome! I went there over the summer, and it was so freakin' cold! How do you live there, if you are British, of course? Thanks for the review!  
MISCHELLE INGRAM - ROFL! That was SO funny! Thanks!  
KK241289 - OH MY GOD! Did you actually review my fic? I L-O-V-E your fics, so it is an honor to have you like mine! Thanks SO MUCH for reviewing! And, you're right, not good. Nope. Muy mal. (do you speak spanish)  
PIPERLEO4EVA - Nope, bad it is. Yes, there love is grand and great! Thanks!

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Piper walked into her house, scared out of her wits. She could not believe how late she had stayed at the Manor, although she was only about ten minutes late. Nevertheless, she was late. She knew she would pay.

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind, her wrists held behind her with one of Daniel's strong hands, and his other hand grabbing her hair and pulling her head back. "What did I tell you about being late?" he whispered in her ear. When he got no answer, he pulled on her hair even more, causing her to wince. "You said never to be late again." Piper forced out. "Good girl. And, what else did I tell you never to do? LIE TO ME!" he shouted. Piper was completely confused by his last statement, and was completely not expecting what was coming up next.

He turned her around, pinning her against the wall. He held one of her tiny wrists in both of his large hands, pinning them to the sides of her head and causing her elbows to form ninety degree angles. He bent his head down so that he was more to her level. "You lied to me. I know who Louisa, May, Ally, and Cody really are. Now, either you get rid of the brats, or I'll get rid of them for you, just like I got rid of that teacher, Ms. Waters." he said calmly. Piper's eyes began to water at the thought of her teacher. "No, please, don't." she begged. "I will if you don't get rid of them." he threatened. Piper just nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"Now that you've agreed to that, you'll get your punishment for lying." he said, and she became even more scared. She had NEVER lied to him before, and wondered what he was going to do to her. He transferred both her wrists to one of his hands, and pulled her over to the staircase. He forced her to kneel on the ground by the stairs, and then took off his belt. Her eyes opened in fear, thinking that he was about to do the worst. But, he took the belt and wrapped it around her wrists and a railing, causing her wrists to be bound to it.

He left the room for a moment, and she tried to struggle out of her binding. She knew what was coming was bad. Really bad. And she knew it would hurt, a lot.

Her eyes opened in horror when he walked in, and she spotted what he was carrying. It was a whip. She tried struggling some more, but he came over and slapped her.

He walked behind her, and he pushed up the back of her shirt. She heard his hand pull back, and then a loud crack resounded throughout the room. A searing pain went throughout her back. It felt like it was on fire. She screamed. A high-pitched, blood-curdling scream. "Don't scream." he commanded, and cracked the whip again. She bit her lip against the horrible, unbearable pain.

He cracked the whip again, again, and again. Each time the pain got worse, and worse, and worse, until she felt that if he did it one more time she would burst in half. She was crying hard from the pain. Then, just as he cracked the whip again, she fell into the realm of unconsciousness.

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Phoebe shot out of bed, drenched with sweat. She looked around, and saw a worried family around her. She saw that they were a little blurry, and it was then that she realized she was crying. It took her so long because of the pain she felt on her back. It was unbearable, just as it had been in the dream.

"Phoebe? Phoebe, you okay?"

Phoebe turned to Prue, although Paige and Leo were also in the room. "Prue, it was horrible! He just kept on whipping, and whipping! It hurt so much!" she said through her sobs. The others gathered closer to her, and Prue said "Honey, don't worry, it's just a nightmare. It's not real, it doesn't exist." "I'm not so sure about that." Paige said, staring wide-eyed at Phoebe's still-aching back. "What do you mean?" Prue asked, and looked on her sister's back as well. Her eyes opened in shock. "What?" Phoebe asked, her tears were starting to slow down. "You have whip marks on your back." Leo said quietly, also seeing her cut-up back.

Suddenly, the wounds rippled, and disappeared. All three of their mouths dropped wide open. "What is it?" Phoebe asked. "The marks, they... they just disappeared." Paige said. Leo looked up at the Halliwell sister. "I don't think the dream was only that." he said. "You need to tell us about it, Phoebe." Prue said, looking sympathetically, yet demandingly, at her sister. The marks that were on her back for only a moment looked very painful. "Which dream?" Phoebe asked, and the others stared at her. "What do you mean, Pheebs?" Paige asked.

"I've had this kind of dream before, yet not like this." Phoebe admitted. "What do you mean? What was this dream?" Prue asked. "I mean I've had a dream where this kind of thing happens before." Phoebe answered. "You've been whipped like THAT in a dream before?" Paige asked. "NO, no! This is the first time I've been whipped, or even hurt like this. You see, in my dreams, I think I'm... an abused child." Phoebe said. "An abused child?" Prue repeated. "Yeah. And every dream, this guy, whom I assume is my father, beats the living daylights out of me. He's just so strong, so controlling. I don't have time to defend myself." Phoebe admitted gloomily.

"In the first dream I had, he broke my wrist. For a few weeks after that, I only had a few dreams, of very light beatings. Maybe a slap or a whack. But recently, they've been becoming more frequent, and more brutal. Tonight, he, well, you saw what he did. He did it because I was late and I lied to him about something. Probably about friends' names, I had used cover-up names. He threatened to kill them if I didn't, like, break it off with them." Phoebe's voice was shaking during the entire speech. The dreams had scared her more than she cared to admit.

"Whoa." Prue and Paige said in unison. "Do you know what causes the dreams?" Leo asked. "No." Phoebe admitted solemnly. "Well, could it be an innocent that we have to protect?" Paige asked. "She." Phoebe corrected automatically. "She?" Prue asked. Phoebe just nodded. "Anyway, if SHE is an innocent, aren't we meant to help her?" Paige continued. "Yeah, that's kind of what we do." Prue said sarcastically. "Phoebe, is there anything else that you can tell us about the dreams? Something that might lead us to who and where she is?"

"Well, the names she made up for her friends make up something similar to Louisa May Alcott." Phoebe said. "Oh, and that narrows it down to, oh, every girl in the world." Prue said sarcastically. "Prue, that's not helping." Paige said, trying to quell the fire before it got the chance to get out of control. Prue just rolled her eyes. "Anything else?" Paige asked hopefully, wanting to get some more clues. "Well, I don't think so. There isn't much about her that I know. I only know about the dreams." Phoebe said. "It's really weird. I mean, I see everything she sees, and feel everything she feels, both physically and emotionally. It's like I'M the one being beaten, being in this hell of a life, but I can't control my... her actions. It's like I'm a visitor in her mind during those dreams."

"I don't think I've ever heard of something like that before. I'll go check with the Elders, see if they know anything." Leo said, and orbed 'up there'. After there wasn't an orb left in the air, Prue and Paige turned to their sister again. "So, you wanna go back to sleep, honey?" Prue asked, her 'big sister mode' back on. "I don't know." Phoebe said, shrugging. "I mean, I don't want to have the dreams again, it was WAY to freaky. But, I need to have the dreams or else we won't be able to find her." "So what do you wanna do?" Paige asked. "I think I'll go back to sleep. Innocents come first, and I don't intend on changing that rule." Phoebe answered.

"Okay." Prue agreed, and she and Paige went to the doorway. "See you tomorrow?" Paige asked when she got to the door. "Definitely." Phoebe answered. "'Night." Prue and Paige called from the hall. "'Night, guys." Phoebe called back, and laid back down in her bed, trying to get as comfortable as she could. She knew she probably had a long night ahead of her.

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AN: Okay, guys, sorry for the shortness! But, to make up for it, I will update sooner, as long as I get reviews! Please, please review! 


	13. A Heartwrenching Story Both Times

AN: Okay, here is the much-wanted next chapter!

WINTER BLAZE - Thanks, and, hmm.  
LILLYNILLY - You're STARTING to feel bad for Piper? I have been feeling bad for her since the second chapter, and I'm writing the darn fic! How could you just be starting? Oh, well. Thanks for the review, though!  
MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT - Agreed. You cringed? I LOVE it when facial expressions are in response to my fics! Thanks so much!  
KK241289 - Closer and closer and closer and closer. Yup yups! Okay, thanks so much for the compliment! Ur so sweet as well! Indeed! Yay, I love that word! Teehee... Thanks for the review! CHUB - Thanks oh so much!  
SYAD YNAIR - ? Okay. Um... thanks?  
PIPERLEO4EVA - No duh. Thanks!  
MAGICAL PRINCESS - Yup yups! Thanks!  
CHARMEDMILLIE - Well, that's half right. Yup yups! Thanks!  
CHARMEDCHICK8407 - Wow, I think you are the first person that has reviewed that actually LIKES cliffies. Kewl. Thanks for the review, and, just to let you know, you will be held in suspense quite a lot from this fic, no worries!  
VERSATILECUTIE - Well, he kinda needs her, so he can't kill her. Damn it, huh? Well, it's okay to get involved in the fan fictions, I do it quite a lot. Especially with the stories from the author about... um... 7 responses up? Yup yups! Thanks for the review!

Now, chapter 13...

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That weekend was hell. All weekend, Piper had been forced to clean the house until it was absolutely spotless. She would have to scrub away at the floors, despite the unbearable pain every time she moved. If Piper displeased Daniel in the slightest, he would press his hand onto her back, causing pain to shoot throughout her body. Every night, he would beat her horribly, and the only area he would avoid was her face. After she was barely conscious from the pain, he would bind her wrists to the railing again, and leave her there all night, just as he had done the night of the whipping. He would leave her in the darkness, just kneeling on the floor. He would leave her in her pain and fear; pain from her injuries, and fear from what he might do to her since she was completely and utterly defenseless. She would also have her regret, sadness, and sense of loss. She would have all night to think about what would happen when she broke it off with the only true friends she had ever had.

The Halliwells also went through hell, though not exactly the same type as Piper. They stayed up at all hours, searching the Book of Shadows about twenty times, and Leo repeatedly going to the Elders to ask questions. Most of the questions, though, the Elders couldn't answer. Phoebe's dreams were the first premonitions that they HADN'T sent her. They did not have a clue what was going on, completely shattering their image of all-knowing beings. But, they were also very intrigued by the mystery, so they were researching 24/7 as well. Down on earth, the sisters and Andy took turns searching for answers in the book and on the internet, two people being awake while the other two slept.

But, Phoebe may have well gotten no sleep whatsoever that weekend. Every time she would float into a state of unconsciousness, she would drift back into the body of whoever the innocent was. She would experience what the girl did, not really being able to get any more clues about the girl's identity. She had only received on clue about the girl's whereabouts, as the man had slipped it. He had pressed on her back, as she had displeased him by missing a spot on the floor, and pain had surged through her body. "Now, you listen, and you listen good." he had said. "The only reason you are still breathing is the fact that you serve a purpose to me, as you do all the chores and dirty work. If you fail in either of those tasks, I will not hesitate to throw you off the Golden Gate Bridge, which as you know is not far from our lovely abode." But, otherwise, all the dreams had done for Phoebe was cause her unbearable pain and interrupt her sleep.

T:T:T

Piper walked slowly, very slowly up through the school parking lot and onto the lawn. She knew what she had to do, and she dreaded it. She didn't want to break it off with the Halliwells, Andy, and Leo. She knew that they had all gone through a lot of emotional pain, and she didn't want to put them through more. But she had to. She had to save their lives. She had to save them from Daniel, although she herself could not be save from him.

She hoisted her backpack further up her shoulder. She was carrying it only on one shoulder, as she didn't want it on her back. She had tried that morning, and it had hurt too much. She couldn't do anything for the marks on her back, as she couldn't reach them. They just had to heal on their own, although it was a very painful process. She had a hard time wearing her bra and shirt that morning, as her back was filled with such an unbearable pain, from both the beatings and her back.

Ahead of her, she spotted her friends under their traditional oak tree. As it loomed closer, she grew more anxious, more depressed. As her friends watched her coming, she knew that it was the last time they would even look at her. She knew she would have to break all of their hearts to save their lives.

T:T:T

"So, anything else happen in your dreams last night?" Prue asked, turning away from their slowly progressing friend for a moment and focusing on her younger sister. "Not much. There were just flashes of darkness, stiffness, fear, and pain. I think he left her bound all night, again." Phoebe answered, her tone downtrodden.

"Hey, Alexa!" Paige said cheerily as Piper joined the group. Piper's heart broke in half when she saw her youngest friend's peppy smile, knowing that she would soon be the cause of it being wiped off her face. "Hi." Piper said coldly. "What's wrong?" Phoebe asked calmly. "What's wrong? Why do you always expect something to be wrong with me? Have you ever considered that something is wrong with YOU?" Piper asked, her voice raising.

"Alexa, it was just a simple question." Leo said, coming closer to his girlfriend. "Oh, so you're on her side? Why aren't you on my side? I thought you loved me!" Piper yelled. "I do." Leo defended, completely confused about why she was acting this way. "Are you sure? Because you sure cancel on our dates enough!" Piper screamed. "Alexa, he has important reasons." Prue said, stepping up to her. She was getting a bit mad at her friend. How could she dare to be so rude? "Oh, and here comes the almighty Prue to the rescue! Have you ever thought that people DON'T need your help?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, but have YOU ever considered how bitchy you're being?" Prue asked. "Maybe, but how can the grand bitch determine that? Is it that I'm actually insulting her petty, little family? Or is it because I did this?" Piper reached out, and slapped Prue across the face. She then turned to Leo. "It's over, babe. Not sorry." she said, and kneed him in the balls. She then turned and stalked off, not looking back even once. She didn't want her now ex-friends to see the tears running down her face.

Prue, Phoebe, Paige, Leo, and Andy watched as Piper stalked off. "What the hell just happened?" Andy asked. He received no response, as everyone was too shocked to speak. They were all just staring after them, hurt in their eyes. Prue was holding her reddening cheek, and Leo was still bent over.

"That bitch." Prue whispered. "How... how?" Phoebe asked. "I knew we couldn't trust a mortal to be friends with us." Prue proclaimed angrily, becoming the first one of them to actually look somewhere else. Andy cleared his throat. "I mean a mortal who doesn't know our secret." Prue corrected, not losing her icy tone. "Yeah, right, Prue. You trusted her too." Paige said. "How could she do this?" Phoebe asked, sitting right down on the ground.

"I don't know." Paige said, sitting right down next to her, staring straight ahead. "I guess we shouldn't have thought that she wouldn't crack under the pressure of being friends with the mysterious Halliwells." Prue answered, sitting on her other side. "But we were so close. How could she act this way?" Phoebe asked, her eyes starting to well up. "She was the best friend I ever had! How could she throw away our relationship like that?" "I don't know. But, I'm gonna miss her too." Paige said, leaning on her older sister. "It'll be okay, sises. We've been through worse things than this." Prue said reassuringly, pulling both of them into her.

"But has Leo?" Paige asked, looking over at their trusted whitelighter. He was still staring at the spot where his girlfriend walked off. He had broken quite a few rules to be with her, and she had just dumped him. He loved her, yet she had thrown it in his face. That made all the girls angry at her. They knew that she had broken his heart, as well as theirs. They could not believe anyone could be so heartless.

T:T:T

"Now, the Shakespearean Era was very interesting, as the dialect..."

As Phoebe's history teacher droned on at the front of class, Phoebe's mind wondered to the events earlier in the day. She was still asking the same question. How could she do that? 'At least she's not in class now.' Phoebe thought. Since the two had all their classes together, Phoebe had been seeing her quite a lot. They had avoided looking at each other, and her friend had asked for a different lab partner. Phoebe had been furious at that, because it meant that her ex-best friend had no intention of apologizing for her earlier actions.

Thinking of her ex-friend, Phoebe knew that she had to get out of the classroom for a moment or she would burst. Her hand shot up in the air. "Yes?" the Ms. Cosby asked. "May I please go to the bathroom?" Phoebe asked, sweetly and politely. "Fine." Ms. Cosby said, and handed Phoebe a pass. "Thank you!" Phoebe called as she walked out of the door.

In the hallway, Phoebe felt much freer. She knew that the teacher would expect her to head straight for a bathroom, and then straight back. That was exactly what Phoebe intended to do. Except, she would go to the bathroom farthest away from her history classroom. She needed some time to breathe, and some time to think. She had to decide what she would do now that she didn't really have a best friend. She had fared fine before she had come, what would be so different now? The difference was, she knew what it was like now. To have someone out of the family that she could tell anything, and do everything with. Someone that she wasn't related to that she could just plain old goof off with, or be completely serious with. She now knew what it was like to have a true best friend, someone that didn't HAVE to be her friend.

As she entered the bathroom, she could make out a faint noise. She concentrated a bit harder. Was it... crying? Phoebe stepped cautiously further into the bathroom, passing each of the stalls on the way. The noise got louder and louder as she advanced through the bathroom. She was now definite that she was hearing crying. Not just regular old crying, but crying accompanied by heart-wrenching sobs. It was the kind of crying someone did when they had lost all hope.

When Phoebe reached the end of the stalls, she finally found who was crying. It was her ex-best friend. Piper was sitting on the floor, her knees curled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her face was buried into her knees, and she was crying her heart out. Phoebe was just standing there, torn between comforting her and just walking away. She didnÕt know what to do, as she was still mad at her, yet she wished she would be back.

Slowly and surely, PhoebeÕs anger triumphed over her compassion. She turned around, and quietly sighed. She thought that Piper might be seeing the error of her ways, which meant that she still somewhat had a heart. Phoebe hoped that she would come around, but didnÕt know whether or not she would accept her as her best friend anymore. She was complete bitch to all of them that morning.

Phoebe went up to the sink, and decided to fix herself up a bit, as she didnÕt really have to go to the bathroom. She straightened her hair a little bit, and checked her make-up. She smoothed the minuscule wrinkles out of her shirt and skirt. When she reached to straighten out her fashionably-worn belt, she was sucked into a premonition.

iThe guy from her dreams was standing there, pulling back a whip. He snapped it on some girlÕs back. The view shifted to the girl. She screamed out, her chocolate eyes filled with terror and glistening in pain.i/

Phoebe suddenly found herself back in the bathroom. ÔOh my God.Õ she thought. ÔThe girl from my dreams is Alexa.Õ

T:T:T:T

AN: DonÕt worry, I wonÕt leave you guys hanging for much longer. I have the next chapter almost completed, and will be updating soon. Yay! Phoebe has found out! Yayness, huh? Please, please review! 


	14. A Friend in Need

AN: I decided to update quicker than usual because:

1) I was done the chapter  
2) I didn't feel like keeping you guys in suspense for too long.  
3) It's Winter Break, so I don't have school!  
4) I'm really ecstatic about #3.  
5) Did I mention that I don't have school?

CHARMEDMILLIE - Yup, halvsies. Thanks!  
VERSATILECUTIE - Thanks for the many, many compliments! And they say flattery will get you nowhere.  
KK241289 - Don't worry, I'm lazy too. I'm freakin' cold right now, and I'm too lazy to get a jacket, although I feel like my fingers are going to freeze off. Ah well, at least I wouldn't have to get up. Teehee! Thanks for the review! MAGICALPRINCESS - Thanks!  
ANDY20 - Thanks!  
DARKANGER06 - Oh, don't worry, this isn't really the only climax. There's lots of stuff that they have to get through before becoming a big, happy family. Yups. Thanks for the review!  
NAKITA24 - Thanks!  
WINTERBLAZE - Thanks!  
MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT - Yay, all caps! I LOVE all caps! Thanks for jumping! LILLYNILLY - Oh, the apathy is much. Thanks for the review, and I hope that you don't fall off your seat!  
CHARMEDALI - Yups! Thanks!  
CHAZZA - Tears? Yay! I achieved tears! Oh, and I recommend the Kleenex with lotion for wiping your eyes. All the others make your eyes even more watery and are irratants. :) I know from experience.

Chapter 14:

T:T:T:T

Phoebe turned around and stared at the sobbing teenager behind her. It was hard to imagine that the girl in front of her was the same girl that was in her dreams. But, her premonitions had never lied to her before, and she had no evidentiary reason to believe that they were this time.

She walked over to Piper without the latter realizing it. She kneeled right by Piper's shaking form and pulled her into a comforting embrace, though Phoebe was close to tears herself. Piper quickly accepted the comfort, and buried her face into Phoebe's shoulder.

Phoebe took the time to look down Piper's back, and realized that her shirt rode up a bit. In the miniscule space seen by Phoebe's eyes, there were many long, thin marks on her back. Where they weren't the marks, where there should have been peach, her back was bright red. Phoebe now knew that what she had seen in her vision, and her dreams, was true. She knew that she had to do something to help her friend, even though she didn't know quite what to do. All she knew was that she had to get her friend out of that house. For good.

After Phoebe heard Piper's sobs calming down a bit, she decided to make her presence apparent and make Piper realize that she was not alone. "Lex?" she asked calmly, not wanting to alert her. Piper's head snapped up. She immediately recognized the voice.

When Piper looked up, that was when Phoebe could first she her friend's tear-stained face. She looked so devastated, so traumatized. Piper quickly let go of Phoebe, and backed up to the opposite side of the stall, which, in reality, wasn't very far away from where she originally sat. "What are you doing here?" she tried to spit, but it came out as more of a panicked question.

Phoebe was a bit startled by her friend's reaction, but then recalled the little threat that her friend's father had given. "Honey," she began calmly, trying not to scare Piper even further, "Can you show me your back?" Piper's eyes widened for a moment, and then she forced them back to their regular size. "Why?" she asked, lying well. 'Damn, she's good.' Phoebe thought. She would have believed her friend's clueless behavior if she didn't have her most recent premonition. "I know what your father has been doing to you." Phoebe stated simply.

That one caught Piper off guard. Although she had been somewhat expecting suspicion from her friend, she did not expect her to put the pieces together as quickly as she had. Also, she had not idea how Phoebe had figured out her little secret. How would Phoebe know that Piper's back had been hurt the night before, and that someone had done something to it? How could she know that it was her father, Daniel? And, if she had figured all of that out, how could she not have known that knowing the fact would put her life in danger?

"How did you know that?" Piper asked, voicing her thoughts. "That's not important right now. What is important is that you're hurt, and i need to help you." Phoebe said, and reached out her hand for Piper to take. Piper stared at Phoebe's hand, as if terrified by it. "B-but you CAN'T know." she said, her eyes pleading for Phoebe to deny it. Phoebe knew that ser best friend was scared, terrified, but she also knew that she needed help. "Alexa, I DO know whether you like it or not. And, either you can come to my house to take care of those marks on your back and any other injuries you have, or we can just spend the day sitting in this bathroom stall." Phoebe knew t seemed as if she was being a bit demanding of her friend, but she was worried. She wanted her friend to get help as soon as possible. It was also a more efficient alternative to breaking down about it, which was what she was doing on the inside.

"But... I don't want to cut classes." Piper defended weakly. Phoebe had to smile a bit at that. "Lex, just in case you didn't know it, you already are. And, I'm sure that if the school knew why you were skipping, they would allow it. After all, who said they were going to find out?" You're skipping with a pro." she said, trying to reassure pIper and coerce her into coming to the Manor.

Piper glanced at Phoebe's face, her hand, and back again. She slowly nodded, and grabbed onto Phoebe's hand. The two got up, and headed out of the bathroom together.

T:T:T

As the two girls entered the Manor, phoebe was silently gracious that Sam was out doing his whitelighter duty. She knew that he would flip if he found her coming home in the middle of a school day. Although, she knew that he would probably accept the reason that she was coming, she was not in the mood for a shouting match so that she could explain her side of the story. she also doubted that Piper would be in the mood for any aggressive behavior.

Phoebe led her friend over to the sitting room, and directed pIper to lie stomach-down on the couch. "Um... you should probably take your shirt off for this." Phoebe said uneasily, still unsure of whether or not Piper would bolt. She knew that her friend still had doubts about coming. Piper nodded her head, faced away from her friend, and took off her shirt, her bra still intact. She then laid down on the couch as directed, wincing ever so slightly from the bruises on her stomach.

It was then that Phoebe got a good look at the wounds on her friend's back. There were countless long, think marks where the whip had obviously broken through her skin. The rest of her back, and her sides, were bright red. There were also big, purple and blue bruises around the middle of her back, where her ribs were, and one that was near the very bottom of her back. The backs of Piper's arms were covered in bruises and scrapes as well, framing the delicate work on her back. Phoebe had to stifle a gasp at the horrible sight in front of her. Piper glanced up at her friend, and gave her a weak smile. "Um.. I guess I have to get some ice and some bandages." phoebe said, and headed off to the kitchen.

When she entered the room, she quickly headed over to the cordless phone. She knew that she had to call Prue, the only Halliwell sister with a cell phone. Prue had it on all the time, even during classes. Then, it was just on vibrate. Phoebe knew that she had to call her sister and let her know what was going on. She knew that she needed help, just incase this all involved magic.

T:T:T:T

Prue was drifting off in another boring math class when she felt a slight vibrations on her waist. She inconspicuously glanced down at her side, and found that her cell was vibrating. She immediately grew worried, as her sisters were the only ones who knew that she had her cell during her classes, and they only called for emergencies.

She shot her hand up into the air. "Um... Mrs. Dunaway, may I please go to the nurse's office? I feel sick." she said, hoping her teacher would buy it. Mrs. Dunaway was the most evil math teacher at the school, with horrible mood swings and a voice that sounded like a deranged southern chipmunk's. "Fine." Mrs. Dunaway said, and Prue headed out of the room.

She ran into the nearest ladies room, and looked at the screen on her phone to see who had called her. she was bit startle to find that it was the Manor's number on the ID. "Phoebe." she whispered under her breath, knowing that she was the only sister that would skip school like that. She called the number back, and Phoebe picked up after the first ring.

"Hey, pheebs, why the hell did you call me from the Manor?" Prue asked, immediately annoyed with her younger sister. "Prue, it's important." Phoebe responded. "Pheebs, everything is important with you." Prue siad, rolling her eyes, though she knew that Phoebe couldn't see it. "No! This is REALLY important. I found out the identity of the mystery girl from my dreams." Phoebe responded quickly. THAT caught Prue off guard.

"What? This fast?" Prue asked. "Yeah, I had a premonition this morning, and I brought her to the Manor. I'm going to start treating her wounds after I get off of the phone with you." Phoebe said. "Who is she?" Prue asked. "Just get Paige and Leo, and meet me at the Manor." Phoebe said, and hung up the phone on her older sister.

Prue pulled the phone away from her ear, and stared at it for a moment. sHe was normally the one that hung up on Phoebe, not the other way around. But, she quickly got over the shock, as she needed to get her sister and whitelighter. she was really worried about who the girl was, as she had seen the wounds on Phoebe the previous Friday night for a brief moment. she knew that the wounds probably hurt like hell.

She quickly ran out of the bathroom, and slyly walked down the hall to Paige's recent period. The three sisters had memorized each other's and Leo's schedules, just in case an occasion like this one arose. She stood outside the small window and looked into the classroom, trying to be noticed only by her youngest sister.

Luckily, she spotted Paige in the front of the classroom, in clear sight of the window. She much have really been bored, as she was glancing all over the classroom. Prue was praying that her youngest would her notice her soon, as worried that someone would catch her.

Suddenly, Paige jumped a bit, and stared at the door. Prue was a bit startled, but then realized that Paige must have spotted her. She waved her hand, motioning to the hallway. Paige must have gotten the idea, as she raised her hand and said something to her teacher. He nodded, and she headed out of the door with her backpack.

"Thank God we have a reputation for being sickly." Paige said once the two were safely a little ways down the hallway. "Yeah, but that's mostly due to all the times we've used being sick as an excuse for demon vanquishes." Prue pointed out. "True, too true." Paige agreed. "Why did you ask me out here, anyway?"

"Because," Prue said, " Pheebs called from the Manor. sHe found out the identity of the mystery girl." "The one from her dreams?" Paige asked. Prue nodded. "The one and only. That's why we're calling Leo as soon as we get in my car." "Who is she?" Paige asked, intense curiosity in her tone. "I have no clue." Prue admitted. "She just told me to get down there right away." "Oh, the forever secret-keeping Pheebs." Paige said sarcastically. "Hey, she kept this whole dream thing a secret until last night. And, she's been keeping the girl's identity a secret, for now, at least." Prue defended the 'middle' sister. "Yeah, so that makes two secrets kept." Paige argued. Prue shrugged, and said "I guess you're right. Two it is."

T:T:T:T

AN: Okay, not really much of a cliffy, but lots of stuff will happen in the next chapter, don't you worry! I'll probably update quickly again, but again, I might not. But, the odds are tipped in that favor due to the fact that I don't have school! Please, please review, and sorry for the weird, random letters w/ accents before this little refresher! 


	15. A Physical and Emotional Pain

AN: Oh, update! Tonsa angst, yups! Read on, and Merry Christmas! Oh, and lotsa you were like 'What the hell is up with the weird letters?' Well, until I got the reviews, I was not aware that there were any weird letters. So, I apologize, and I have corrected it. You can go back and read it if you had any trouble!  
CHARMED-ANGEL4 - Lotsa exclamation points, huh? Hyper much? Oh well, I loves it. Thanks!

MAGICAL PRINCESS - Um... I don't wanna give away anything, but that is one of the options I am considering. There are quite a few, so that chapter might not come for a few more, or it may be the next one. You never know!  
MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT - Thanks!   
LILLYNILLY - Thanks!  
DARKANGEL06 - I know what you mean. I'm a lazy bum, and I'm on break! Thanks!  
VERSATILE CUTIE - Oh, awesome! I'm a helluva something! Teehee! Thanks lotses!  
KK241289 - No, it wasn't just your computer. See AN for details. Teehee! That sounded like a commercial! Thanks for the review!  
SUMMER LOVIN - See AN. Thanks!  
CHARMEDMILLIE - Lotsa signs. See AN. Thanks!  
OTHCHARMEDFREAK - That would be an understatement. When FREAK is an understatement, that is quite huge. Yups! Thanks!  
CHARMEDALI - Thanks, I love to be in C2s! Also, thanks so much for the reviews!  
GOLDBAND - Momentum is going up and up and up and up! Yups! Oh yes, quite a coincidence, huh? I just didn't want him to find her out too early, 'cause Piper is supposedly the one that looks most like Patty! Thanks for the review!  
CHUB - Thanks!

Chapter 15:

T:T:T:T

After Phoebe hung up the phone on her older sister, she immediately jetted over to the medicine cabinet. "Okay, let's see... how the hell do I treat this?" she asked herself, rifling through the many various medications and bandages in the cabinet. "Okay, disinfectant! You need that for any injury... first aid kits are always good... water and soap, good combo... need washcloths to actually clean and not make a mess... bandages! Duh! Need to keep cuts from being infected. Band-aids, for arms... ice for bruises... okay, I think that's good."

Phoebe looked around at all that she had collected. It was about half of the cabinet. "God, I hope Leo gets here soon. He's the one that knows all of the doctor stuff." Phoebe whispered to herself, and picked up all that she had collected.

T:T:T

Phoebe put all of the supplies on the coffee table right next to the couch, and looked up at Piper. She was lying stomach-down on the couch, resting her head on one of the end pillows. Her arms were folded underneath both the pillow and her head, and she was facing towards Phoebe. She glanced over at all the supplies, and then back at Phoebe. "You're gonna clean it?" she asked. Phoebe knelt down right next to Piper's head. "Yeah, honey, I have to. I'm gonna make it all better." Phoebe said, smiling, and running her fingers through Piper's long hair, which was hanging off of the couch as to not touch her back.

Piper simultaneously closed her eyes, and a lone tear ran down the couch. "Is something wrong, honey?" Phoebe asked, and then mentally kicked herself. 'Of course something's wrong." she though. 'She's lying on my couch after being whipped and beaten for who knows how long.' "Thanks." Piper said softly. Phoebe was surprised. "What?" she asked, whispering. "Thanks.. for caring about me." Piper paused, and looked away. "Even though I'm not worth it."

Phoebe was completely taken back by Piper's last words. "of course you're worth it, honey. You're always worth it." she said, and moved Piper's head softly so that they were looking at each other again. "No, I'm not worth anything." she whispered, barely audible to Phoebe. But, the words hit her like Piper had shouted them. Phoebe's eyes watered up, and the full reality of Piper's situation finally sunk in. Sure, she had felt the fear, the pain, the full out terror. But, she hadn't really been there. She hadn't bee there when she wasn't asleep, she hadn't been there during the time before her first dream. She hadn't been there for the years that her friend had been going through her horrible life.

Phoebe felt a lone tear slip down her cheek, and turned away from Piper for a moment. She hastily wiped the tear away, and tried to completely force away her unshed tears. She knew that she had to be strong, that now was not the time to break down. "Pull yourself together, Phoebe," she told herself under her breath. She turned back around, and picked up some of the soap and water. She again knelt by Piper's side.

"Honey, I have to clean your back, okay?" Phoebe asked, although, in her opinion, Piper wouldn't really have a say in that part. Piper slightly nodded her head. "Okay, this is going to hurt a little bit." she said, and drenched a washcloth in water. She then placed a dollop of soap in the middle, and rubbed it all around. She lightly pressed the washcloth to Piper's back, but retracted it when she heard Piper whimper in pain. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." Phoebe said, and tucked a strand of Piper's hair behind her hear and out of her closed eyes. "But, I have to clean your back, no matter how much it may hurt." Piper nodded, and Phoebe commenced with the cleaning.

T:T:T

Phoebe looked at the sleeping Piper in front of her. She had quickly fallen asleep after all the crying she had done, as the cleaning was much more painful than Phoebe had anticipated. Luckily, though, it hadn't taken too long. bUt, it had still been very difficult. There were band-aids covering Piper's arms and legs, for, after further inspection, Phoebe had found cuts all over her body. There were bandages covering the entire length of her back, ad an ice pack was situated on top of her ribs AND on her stomach, as there were horrible black and bruises there. Also, she had quite a few broken ribs, but none had punctured her lungs.

But, Phoebe couldn't think of anything to do for those. She didn't have any medical expertise, even though she and her sisters had taken a course on basic emergency procedures, such as CPR, the Heimlich Maneuver, Rescue Breathing, and treating various other medical emergencies. But, she didn't know how to treat broken bones, nor did she have any idea how to deal wt the emotional turmoil that was surging through her very soul at that moment.

Sorrow and pain made not breaking down almost impossible for the fourteen-year-old. She could barely bare to move with all that she held inside. Fear and worry also made many normal tasks, such as breathing, near impossible. Phoebe had to focus all of her strength on breathing normally, and not going into an episode of hyperventilation. And anger, that was the worst. She was angry, but not just angry. She was completely, utterly, and insanely furious at whoever had dared to hurt the gentle angel sleeping restlessly on the couch in front of her. Phoebe wanted to bring HIM as much pain as he had brought the resting teenager.

Phoebe just couldn't take it anymore. She had to get away, she had to let out her bottled-up emotions, but she couldn't awaken her friend. She quickly ran from the room and into the kitchen, shutting the rarely shut door behind her so that she would not even cause Piper to stir. As soon as she was in the shut-off kitchen, she stopped. She felt a tear falling down her cheek, and then another. She felt a torrent of tears fall, and a sob creep up her throat.

Phoebe let it out. She let it all out. She sunk to the ground, and pulled her knees up to her chest. She adapted the same position she had found Piper in about an hour earlier. She began rocking back and forth, and covered her mouth in an attempt to muffle her sobs. She cried her heart out, something she had not done since her older sister had gone away forever.

T:T:T

"God, it's about time!" Prue scolded quietly, as Leo walked out of his classroom. "Jeez, I'm sorry, Prue! I was just in the middle of a test, and you know how I am at math!" Leo defended himself, his tone a little more downtrodden than usual. "Well, I though that you would finally get the concept down after being alive for almost eighty years, but I guess I was wrong." Prue responded, rolling her eyes. "Well, when you guys are finished arguing, we can go save our innocent." Paige said, giving Prue and Leo a reality check. The three started walking down the hallway.

"We have to save an innocent?" Leo asked, looking back and forth between the two sisters. "Of course we do, Leo. Why else would we have to skip about half of the school day?" Prue asked, getting very irritable again. She had been irascible ever since the events of the morning. "I don't know. I guessed that after, well, this morning..." Leo said, but didn't need to continue. All three of them knew what he was talking about.

"No, we aren't skipping, we're saving an innocent." Paige said, trying effectively to change the subject. "What innocent? And how do we know?" Leo asked. "Well, we have to save the innocent from Phoebe's dreams. She called me on my cell, and told me that she had found whoever it is, and to meet her at the Manor." Prue informed him. "Why aren't we orbing, then?" Leo asked, holding a hand out to each of the girls. "Because, I don't particularly care to leave my car at the school." Prue said, and took the other two in the direction of the parking lot.

T:T:T

Prue, Paige, and Leo walked into the Manor through the back way, as Leo could sense that Phoebe was in the kitchen. As soon as they walked in, Prue said "Sorry were were late, Pheebs, Leo just had to be caught up during a... math... test." She slowed down when she spotted her little sister sitting on the ground, sobbing.

Phoebe looked p at the sound of her eldest sister's voice. "Hey, guys." she said, wiping away her tears and trying to smile. Prue and Paige were immediately by her side. "What happened, Pheebs?" Prue asked protectively, while Leo stood over the three of them. The simple question caused more teardrops to roll down Phoebe's already moist face.

"I'm not worth anything!" she almost shouted, and buried her face in her knees again. Prue and Paige exchanged worried glances over phoebe's head. "You are worth something, Pheebs. You're-" Prue's reassurances were cut off by Phoebe. "No. That's what she said. She thanked me for caring about her, although she wasn't worth it. When I told her she was, that's what she said! She said 'I'm not worth anything'. But, Prue, she is! She IS worth something!" Phoebe was close to hysterics by that time, and Prue pulled her into a comforting embrace, while Paige just held her older sister's hand, not knowing what to do. Phoebe was not normally emotional about their innocents' situations. sHe normally just did her job, and that was that. It was strange to see her breaking down about one innocent.

But, it was still heart wrenching. They could not believe that anyone would or could feel that way. They had seen innocents with various different mentalities, but they had never seen one with such a low self-esteem. Most of their innocents just needed to be saved from the demon that was after them, and that was that. But, this girl seemed to not only have demons somehow involved in her life, but inner demons as well. And, they didn't even know who she was yet.

"Phoebe, who is saying all of this? Who is the innocent?" Leo asked. He felt Phoebe's pain through his whitelighter abilities, and wanted to know the answer. "She's been through so much. She doesn't deserve this!" Phoebe protested. It became obvious to everyone that they would have trouble getting an answer from her. But, that wouldn't keep them from trying.

"Honey, please. Please tell us who she is!" Prue insisted, looking into her little sister's glistening eyes. "She's... she's... Alexa."

T:T:T:T

AN: Mwahahahahaha! Mwahahahahaha! Mwahahahahaha! I took my cough medicine, so I didn't cough! Teehee.. aren't I evil? Of course I am, I left you with that horrible cliffie! What are their reactions? What's gonna happen? You'll just have to see next time! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update! I may even give you guys an early Christmas present if I get enough reviews by the 24th! 


	16. A Means to an End

AN: Hey everyone, here's an update. I would like to thank all my reviewers now, because I won't be doing the individual stuff this time. And, yes, this chapter is kinda short, but very good, I promise! Happy holidays, folks!

Chapter 16:

T:T:T:T

The world seemed to slow down at that very moment, causing an entire heartbeat to take about a minute. Thoughts were spinning like wildfire through their heads. The one question everyone was asking themselves was 'Did she just say what I think she said?' No one knew for sure, not even Phoebe herself. She had still to come to terms with reality in the situation, and coping with three others trying to figure it all out would be too much for her to handle. Not that what was happening wasn't to much for her to get a handle on already.

"Wha-what?" Paige was the first to find her voice. Although she was very close to Piper, she was still too young to have full emotional development. One can only do so much by the age of twelve, after all. After her sister's question, and a small moment of being calmed down, Phoebe finally found the strength to stand. Straightening out her skirt, she sniffled. "I... I've been seeing Alexa in my dreams." Phoebe elaborated a bit. "Are you sure?" Prue asked automatically. She didn't feel like having another loved one hurt because of magic, even though she was still angered towards their friend due to their fight this morning. Much of the anger was directed towards her, the eldest Halliwell, so she had some different emotional scars than her sisters.

"Of course I'm sure, Prue! I had a premonition in the bathroom during history class, where, by the way, I found her crying." Phoebe defended, a bit offended by Prue's question. It had been a while since Prue had doubted the middle sister's powers, so she was a bit upset by the decline in their trust. "She was crying?" Leo asked, his expression immediately going both sympathetic and worried. "Yeah." Phoebe said.

"Wait..." Paige said, a little sparkle flaring up in her eyes. "What?" all three of the teens asked instantaneously. "Remember Friday night's dream, the night we found out about this whole thing?" Paige asked, looking around at the other three. Prue nodded. "Well, remember how you said that she was punished for lying to him? It was about friend's names! Friends that he threatened to kill!" While Paige was smiling and looking around expectantly at the older three, they were confused. They were not only confused, but they were completely and utterly befuddled, bewildered, and bemused.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Prue asked, waiting impatiently for her sister to continue her train of thought. "He wanted her to break it off with her friends. That would be us! She didn't mean anything that she did this morning!" Paige exclaimed happily, bouncing up and down like a little bunny rabbit. The others' faces brightened up. "You're right! She's still our friend!" Phoebe said happily, and began joining her sister in her jumpingactivities.

Prue and Leo just watched the younger two bounce around like crazy people happily. Prue was ecstatic because it seemed as if her confidante, the one girl outside of the family that she trusted, wasn't a complete bitch. But, her reaction was nothing compared to Leo's. He felt as if he was floating. His stomach was doing summersaults, and his heart was screaming in happiness. He felt as if it were the best moment in his life. The love of his life didn't hate him. "Wait, where is she, anyway?" Leo asked Phoebe, wanting to run to his girlfriend as soon as possible. A soft voice came from the doorway. "I'm right here."

T:T:T

Prue, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo turned towards the voice, and found none other than Piper in the doorway. Her head was tilted downward, her hair covering her face. She was holding the blanket that Phoebe had placed on her around her top half, like a cape. Leo was by her side in an instant. He took some of her hair, and tucked it behind her ear. "I'm sorry." she whispered, looking away from where she knew Leo was standing. "It's okay, honey." Leo said, and wrapped his arms loosely around her petite frame. She leaned sideways into his chest, and faced the three Halliwell sisters. "I'm sorry for dragging you into my mess." she said, letting a lone tear slip down her cheek.

All three ran up in front of her, and Leo gently wiped away her tear. "Oh, honey, we WANTED to be dragged into this mess. We WANT to help you." Phoebe reassured. "No. I don't want your help." Piper said, and roughly pulled away from Leo's grasp. "I don't want to lose you, too." she added under her breath, but the others were still close enough to hear it.

"Who did you lose?" Prue asked. Piper's eyes widened. She hadn't really realized that she had said the last part out loud. "Oh, no one." Piper replied, a bit too hastily for the others' liking. "It was Ms. Waters, wasn't it?" Phoebe asked, recalling the name from one of her dreams. Piper whirled around at that. "How did you know that?" she asked quickly, not realizing that she had confirmed what they were asking. "Never mind that." Phoebe said, waving her arm. "She was your teacher, wasn't she?" she asked, and Piper's eyes began watering up.

"What happened?" Leo asked, taking Piper into him again. Although she felt comforted by his actions, a few more tears slid down her cheeks. "Um... how about we talk about this in the other room." Paige said, pointing to the conservatory. "Um... okay." Prue said, and they all went into the other room to sit down.

T:T:T

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige sat on one couch, and Piper and Leo sat on the one across from them. Piper was curled up in Leo's lap, her back not touching him, though. She turned her head towards the three sisters, ready to tell one of her many stories.

"My f-fourth grade teacher, Ms. Waters, found out about Daniel." Piper started. "Who's Daniel?" Paige asked. "My father." Piper stated, and moved on. "She saw bruises on my wrists one day, and asked me to see her after class. I didn't know what it was about, so I did. I didn't know what Daniel would do if anyone found out, and at nine, I knew that it was wrong what he was doing to me. So, when she asked questions about how I got my bruises, I answered them. I wanted to get away from him. She took me to her apartment that night. But, Daniel found us. H-he threw me against the wall, making me too hurt to stand. Then, he... killed her right in front of me. He stabbed her straight in the heart."

Bringing up old memories that had never really been dealt with, Piper began sobbing. Leo just held her, and the girls made their way over to the couch they were on. Prue stroked her hair, and Phoebe and Paige held her hands. They just comforted her while she cried for a loss that no child should ever bare.

After a while, she wiped the slowing tears from her eyes. "Tha-that's why I have to get out of here. He's going to find me, and he's going to kill you too." Piper said, suddenly pulling away from everyone. She hastily grabbed her shirt from the side of the couch, and headed towards the door. But, Prue quickly blocked her path.

"No, Alexa, you aren't going anywhere. You are staying with us, and we are going to help you, whether you like it or not." Prue grabbed on to Piper's wrist, and led her back towards the couch. "We can handle this." Prue reassured. "But-" Piper started, but was cut off. "No buts, Missy. You're staying with us, and that's final." Leo said, and sat Piper on his lap. "Yeah, and, after all, do you really think that your best friends can't handle one man? Get serious." Phoebe said.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

The five looked up towards the archway from the foyer into the room they were currently in. Standing directly in the middle was a man. And, not just any man. He was over 6 foot, he was muscular, he had Crisco hair, and he was waving a knife around in his hand. He was the man from Phoebe's dreams, and Piper's nightmares. He was Daniel.

T:T:T:T

AN: Teehee, evil cliffie! Yes, I did give you guys a little Christmas present, but I might not update for a while due to all the presents I'll deal with! Teehee! Please review!!! 


	17. A Time for the Truth

AN: Hey, guys! Sorry for the short little wait, but I DO have a life, you know! I really do, it just doesn't take me long to write the chapters. I just can't find the time! So, please read on this lovely little chapter!

VERSATILECUTIE - Thanks, and that's otay!  
MAGICAL PRINCESS - You're holding your breath. Jeez... hope I don't get charge with murder, 'cause you waited 'til the next year. Teehee! Thanks!  
OTHCHARMEDFREAK - I don't HAVE to, but I did! Teehee! Thanks!  
DARKANGEL06 - R U threatening me? Oh, well. That's otay. Threatening people is fun! teehee! Thanks so much for the review!  
MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT - Oh, I love the iPods! I have one of my own, B-day gift! Oh, and DVDs... did I get those. I got 3 seaasons of Smallville on DVD, and I am absolutely loving them! Lotsa fun! Thanks for the review!  
WINTER BLAZE - Thanks. Sad in good is very good, yes?  
KK241289 - Yes, Piper does know her real name. BUt, she's kind of overwhelmed right now, so she can't think about that. Thanks SO MUCH for the review!  
ANDY20 - Yes, I can. I just did. Teehee! Thanks for the review!  
CHARMEDALI - C U? You coming to the good old Lover's State? If you don't know what that means, you don't know where I am! Teehee! You have NO IDEA how many stupid sex jokes are cracked here! It's ridiklious! Thanks for the review, though!  
CHARMEDMILLIE - Ass kicking will be on the way shortly. I think. I'm not entirely sure yet. Oh, well! Thanks for the review!  
CHARMEDLUVER - Enthusiastic? That would be the understatement of the century. Oh, well. That's okay. Thanks so much for the review!  
CHARMEDFREAK21 - Ace? Oh, like an A! I get it! Yeah, it's supposed to be kinda mean to Piper, but.... wait, don't wanna give anything away! Thanks for the review!  
FAITH KINGSLEY - No, I'm just a good fic writer! Teehee! OH, and you do know that ice cream isn't a hyphonate, right? Oh, well, I do like ice cream. Thanks!  
CHUB - whol? What's that? Oh, thanks so much for the compliment. I hope you had a happy Christmas too, and I did have one! I got lots o' stuff, even 3 seasons of Smallville. (smiles) Yay!  
AMYH.- Yeah, I really like Piper too. That's why my story is centered around her! She's my fav. Thanks for the review!  
LILLYNILLY - Thanks, happy?  
P3-CHARMEDFOREVER - Yes, it is fair, at least in my mind! I know how evil cliffies are, so I am sincerely sorry for the ending of this chapter. NOT! Teehee! Thanks for the review!

Chapter 17:

T:T:T:T

Piper immediately jumped out of her boyfriend's lap. She began trembling uncontrollably, backing away from the man standing in the archway between the living room and the conservatory. PhoebeÕs eyes widened, as she too automatically recognized the man. "Who the hell are you?" Prue asked, standing directly in front of everyone. She wanted to protect them from whoever this man was, as her instincts told her that this guy was bad news. ÒWhy, IÕm Daniel. Daniel said. He grabbed Prue's shoulders, and flung her across the room. She landed on the floor in a heap, obviously unconscious.

As Daniel took another step forwards, everyone took a step backwards. Phoebe, Paige, and Leo knew that this demon had a lot of power, and Piper was just plain terrified. Daniel slowly put his hand up, and an energy ball materialized. Piper's eyes widened. She had never seen anything like that before. He quickly turned, and threw it at her. She quickly dove out of the way, and into the other room. The ball hit the wall behind where her head had been, and left a scorch mark.

"Hey!" Paige shouted. While Daniel had been distracted, she had orbed in behind him. Daniel quickly turned around. Phoebe took that as her cue, and kicked his legs out from under him. He fell to the ground, and shimmered out. He instantly shimmered back in, right behind Phoebe. "Pheebs, behind you!" Paige shouted, noticing Daniel. Leo was working on healing Prue. Before Phoebe had a chance to react, she was pushed from behind and into the wall, right next to where Leo was healing Prue. Seeing that Phoebe's eyes were closed, Leo put one of his hands over her, to heal her as well.

Paige looked around. She didn't know where Piper had gone, and knew that she was the only one left to fight. "Two down, two to go." Daniel said, and shimmered out. Paige looked around, anticipating an attack from behind. But, when none came, she ran over to where her sisters were slowly being healed. "How's it going, Leo?" she asked, glancing worriedly at her sisters. "Fine. It's just taking a little while." Leo said. "Where's Alexa?" he asked, looking around the room. "I don't know. She ran off during the fight. She probably left the house." Paige guessed.

Meanwhile, Piper was in the other room, crouched against the wall. She was debating whether to run away, or to go back to her friends. She was completely freaked by the whole... what was it? She didn't know, but it couldn't have been magic, could it? At the moment, she was too scared to care. On the other hand, it seemed as if they were fighting Daniel, and she already knew that he was beyond evil. She didn't know what to do.

Just then, the air was distorted in front of her. She stared at it, not knowing what was coming. Daniel materialized exactly where she was staring, and she jumped. He looked right over at her, and smiled. "I guess I won't have to take out the white lighter and damn half-breed after all." he said, and advanced upon her. Piper back up against the wall, but was still careful not to touch it. He slowly advanced upon her, and her heart began beating faster. She was completely panicking, and felt helpless. Suddenly, she got an idea.

"Guys, help!"

T:T:T

Paige looked up at the cry. "See ya." she said, and quickly orbed into the other room. The scene she came upon startled her. Daniel was right up against Piper, and he was kissing her. Piper was struggling to push him off of her, but he was too strong. Paige knew it would be better not to attract attention from Daniel. He was touching Piper, so it would be all to easy for him to shimmer out with her. She knew that demons could take someone along for the ride from personal experience. But, that didn't mean she wouldn't try to stop what was happening right then.

She snuck up behind Daniel, both him and Piper too preoccupied with what was going on to notice her. She quickly reached out, and grabbed Piper's shoulder. The two orbed into the other room.

T:T:T

When they arrived in the conservatory, Piper immediately fell to the ground. She was both weak from what Daniel had been doing, and was quite a bit disoriented from orbing. Prue, Phoebe, and Leo joined Paige at her side immediately. In the time they were gone, Leo had been able to fully heal the other two sisters. Leo picked Piper up, and brought her over to the couch that they had been sitting on before the whole ordeal started. Daniel hadn't come into the room, so they all guessed that he had shimmered out to retaliate.

"Are you okay, honey?" Leo asked, brushing some of Piper's hair behind her ear. Piper wiped a lone tear from her cheek, and nodded. "Yeah." she whispered, and cuddled up into Leo. After a small moment of silence, she asked "Guys, can I ask you something?" The four exchanged glances, and then looked back at her. "Sure, anything." Phoebe said. Piper looked up at them, looking each one in the eye. When she opened her mouth to speak her voice was soft, yet strong.

"What the hell are you guys?"

T:T:T

AN: Yeah, I know, the chapter's short, but big whoop. Please, please review! 


	18. An Explanation

AN: I'm just wondering... did anyone hear about the 150th episode? SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! Episode 16, Season 7, 150th Episode (airs in APRIL!) Leo is going to have his memory erased and will be set out into the world. Paige and Phoebe will have to look for him alone because Piper will fall deathly ill (again). Piper WILL die, and will meet COLE on the ghostly plane. HE will reunite PIPER WITH LEO! I'm betting that's when they're gonna kiss... Hopefully, at least.

Oh, and did anyone else get the season 1 DVD? I just got it, and I am watching an episode as I am writing this... oh, God, I so freakin' can't wait 'til April!

T:T:T:T

It seemed as if time has just frozen. Not a sound was made, not an action was performed, all the world just seemed... silent. It was a deafening silence, if there ever was such a thing. It seemed to tear at the very souls of all in the world. It was the worst silence in history, in all of time itself. The whole universe seemed to be focusing it's attention on the living room of the old pinkish-red house at 1329 Prescott Street. It was the cause of the unbearable silence. Who knew that six simple words could change the world, the universe, forever? No one, but it had just happened. Those six three- or four-letter words had just changed... everything.

"We're, we're..." Prue finally stuttered, the bravest of all in the room. She didn't quite know how to explain to her friend that her and her sisters were witches, and they had to save the fifteen-year-old from a demon that wanted to do who-knew-what with her. Piper, barely paying attention to her eldest friend's stammers, gently stood up from the couch and wandered over to one of the beautifully crafted, stained-glass windows that filled the Manor.

"Don't worry, I'm not scared of you." Piper spoke quietly after a moment of just staring out of the window. It had just begun raining. Prue, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo had to strain their ears to hear her relieving statement. After processing her words, they felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of their shoulders. They felt as if one of the biggest fears had been proven false, and that it could never come true. Prue was opening her mouth when Piper decided to speak again.

"I-I know that I should be, but I'm just... not. I guess I'm just too, um... confused to have any room for another emotion. I mean, I don't exactly know what's going on. Everyone was just moving in the blink of an eye, Daniel was throwing these blue balls that seemed to be filled with electricity, and then the air was just distorted and he appeared out of thin air. Everything was moving so fast, and it was just so impossible. It seemed, well, it was just like..." Piper turned around to face her friends again. "Magic."

The four on the couches exchanged stunned looks. They would not expect her to come to that conclusion so quickly. But, since she had figured it out...

"It was." Phoebe replied, her first time speaking since the attack. "Excuse me?" Piper asked incredulously. She had not actually expected to be right. "It was magic. We're witches." Prue said bluntly. She decided that was the best approach, as it wouldn't make any sense to beat around the bush. Piper had witnessed the events, and come to the correct conclusion. She didn't need a five minute speech.

But, nevertheless, Piper's mouth dropped wide open. It didn't last for long, though. She soon closed her mouth, and a confused smile formed on her face. "Wait a minute, you're joking, right?" she asked, laughing nervously. The solemn looks on the other's faces was enough of an answer. "Oh my God, you're not joking." Piper said, and slowly sank down into the nearest chair, covering her face with her hands. It took all of Leo's might not to run over to her and comfort her. He didn't know how she would react.

After a moment, she looked up at all of them. Her face wasn't full of tears as they had expected. In fact, they couldn't really read her face. There was such a fury of emotions that one was hard to distinguish from another. "Witches?" she asked finally, looking around at them all. "I thought they were supposed to have warts on their noses and wear pointy black hats, flying around on broomsticks and cackling." "I've cackled once." Phoebe piped up. "And I've riden a broomstick."

"Wait... are you scared of us?" Paige asked the question they had all been dying to ask, although she had sort of answered it earlier. She hadn't really known they were magic then, though. "Well... yeah, a little bit. But, what do I have to lose?" Piper asked. "And besides, you saved my life, the least I owe you guys is a little time for an explanation." "And we're giving it to you." Phoebe said before anyone else could protest. She couldn't take lying to her friend anymore. "Agreed." Leo said. "So, um... who's gonna start?" Paige asked. "How about Pheebs here." What Prue had said wasn't a question, it was a command. "Fine, fine." Phoebe said, and began their little story.

"Prue, Paige, and I are witches, the Charmed Ones, in fact. Well, not really, since we don't have all three powers, but we're still three pretty damn powerful witches. Prue here has the power of telekinesis, so she can move objects with her mind. Paige has the power of orbing, which is basically a way of teleporting from place to place just by thinking about it. I have the power of premonition, so I can see the future. But, it has grown a little bit into seeing the present and past as well. That's how we found out about you. I began having these really weird dreams, in which I would basically be a visitor in a girl's body. In every dream, I was abused by Daniel. In the first dream, he had broken 'my' wrist, but I didn't tell anyone else about it. Prue, Paige, and Leo here found out about it the night you got, well, whipped. I had gotten your wounds on MY back. So, we spent a while searching for you, and then in the bathroom I had another premonition about that same night, and I finally saw your face. That's how I finally figured out it was you. And, well, you know the rest about that."

"Oh." Piper said, after a moment. She was still trying to take all that Phoebe had said about her and her sisters when she turned to Leo. "So, they're witches, what are you?" "I'm, um, well, uh... I'm a whitelighter." Leo said, stuttering, and finishing with that last word like it would explain everything. "A... whitelighter?" Piper asked. She had no clue what that was. "It's like... a guardian angel." Leo explained further. "Right... an angel." Piper said, looking a bit amused. She stood up, and walked over to the window again. The rain was pouring down even harder than it was before. "Is there something about you and angels that we don't know about?" Paige asked, and Prue and Phoebe both nudged her in the ribs. Piper shook her head.

"I don't know, it's just... I've always had this stupid fantasy that someday angels would come and rescue me from the hell of a life that I live. I always dreamed that maybe, just maybe, there might actually someone in the world that truly cared about me. Someone that truly loved me for all that I am; for my past, present, and future. I dreamed that one day... I might actually have a real family, and real friends, never having to see Daniel again. But, that's what they were, just... dreams. And I learned a long time ago that my dreams never come true."

Paige, the youngest, the baby of the bunch, couldn't take it anymore. Her whitelighter instincts were telling her that her friend, one of her best friends, was so filled with pain that not even years of therapy could take it away. She jumped up from the couch, and ran over to her friend. Paige stood in front of Piper for a moment, the little one's light brown eyes filled with unshed tears met the teenager's chocolate eyes with tears spilling over. Paige then surprised everyone by wrapping her arms around Piper's neck, and hugging her with all her might.

"You're wrong." Paige whispered. "You're wrong. We're here to save you."

T:T:T:T

AN: I think it's kind of short, but oh well. I had a bit of writer's block on the middle, so I just shortened it from what I would have originally had it. This chapter was basically just an explanation, and all the fighting stuff will come back soon. It won't be too long now until the big secret is revealed... Please, review! 


	19. A Premonition

AN: Hey, guys, here's an update! I just sat down and started typing it, and here's the result! I hope you enjoy! Oh, and this story's review amount is TIED with my first fic's! That is absolutely awesomely awesome! You guys ROCK!

CHARMEDLUVER - Yes, I can't stinkin' wait 'til April! Yay! Thanks!

GOLDBAND - Yeah, I know she took it like all of them. But, you know, that is a pretty reasonable reaction. At least she didn't go running off when she found out. I mean, if they had ever run into someone who had NOTHING to lose, it would have been Piper in this fic. Thanks for the review!

VERSATILECUTIE - I SO agree! Oh, thanks for the moving-ness. I like to have emotional scenes like that! Thanks for the review!

PIPER+LEO4EVA - Thanks, and there will be a little bit of P/L in this chapter...

LINN-LOVESPIPERLEO - Yes: Die, Dan, Die! Yes, poor Piper... you're supposed to feel that way. Thanks for the review!

CHARMED-ANGEL4 - Oh, I don't really remember where I got that spoiler from... I just remember it was REALLY reliable. It was like or something like that... Oh, well. Yes, Charmed DVDs are awesome. I'm gonna watch one right after uploading this! Thanks for the review!

MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT - I know I wait too long to update... I've just been busy.

I had a major brain jump for this chappie, though, and I wrote it in, like, half an hour! Thanks!

PIPERY03 - I know the feeling. No, they don't know that she's their sister, and you'll have to wait a little longer for that. I won't say how long, but I'm going to try and make that part perfect, as I know everyone has been looking forward to it! Thanks!

OTHERCHARMEDHPFREAK - Ah, you're also a Harry Potter Freak now, huh? Kewl.

Thanks!

CHARMEDMILLIE - I don't really want Cole to stay in, I kind of like the show better w/o him. But, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Thanks!

CHARMEDCHICK4EVA - U just read the story? Great! I now have another fan! Hip hip hooray for me! TEehee! Thanks for the review!

WINTER BLAZE - Your welcome, and thanks!

KK241289 - Thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks!

ANONYMOUS - Thank you!

P3-CHARMEDFOREVER - I know I took too long... but, I do have a life! Thanks!

MAGICAL PRINCESS - I know you want the secret; you just have to wait a little bit longer! Thanks!

AMY H. - Oh, there were a bunch o' compliments bundled up in that. Thanks for all of them, and for the review!

CHARMEDALI - Tyhe? Oh, well, I have typos too. Thanks for the review!

DARKANGEL06 - Thanks, and don't beg! Especially not to die! You'll get that at the end of the chapter...

CHUB - I agree with you on all of that. I also can't wait until the revelation is up. I'm still shaping it in my head, though. So, I don't even know exactly how it will go, though I have a pretty good idea. Thanks for the review!

Chapter 19:

T:T:T:T

Piper lay in the black duvet-covered double bed. Phoebe had given up her room and gone to sleep on the couch, so that Piper could have some time to herself.

But, little did she know, that had been the exact opposite of what the other teen had actually wanted. Nevertheless, she was used to keeping all of her emotions inside, and dealing with everything herself. Piper let her give up the room.

She knew she should have been trying to sleep, but she couldn't. Every time she closed her eyes, though, some picture or another of Daniel beating her popped into her mind. She didn't want to risk having one of her nightmares, either. She didn't feel she could handle anything else after what had happened during the course of the day. Piper moved her head a bit, and glanced at the electric blue, digital clock. It was well after midnight. She couldn't handle anything after what happened yesterday.

After becoming emotionally stable again, Prue had gone to get what she had called the "Book of Shadows", and laid it in front of Piper. While the latter was flipping through the book, searching for a picture of Daniel or at least anything familiar, Prue, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo had continued explaining everything. The girls continued on about their ancestry, and Leo explained about the Elders. They all told her about demons, and about certain vanquishes they had accomplished. Every once in a while, Piper would come across a picture that she recognized. She didn't see any drawings of Daniel, but of several of his 'business associates' that had come to her house.

Piper closed her eyes at the thought of what they had told her by the time she had finished with the Book. "That's a lot of demons you recognized, Lex." Prue had stated, glancing over the list of demons. Phoebe had leaned over, and peeked over her older sister's shoulder. "My God, that's at least three dozen." Phoebe had nervously glanced up at her best friend, and asked the question they had all been wondering. "Why are so many demons involved with you?" Phoebe hadn't said that with an ounce of accusation in her voice. She had just sounded... concerned, and worried. Piper could sense it; they were all worried.

But, for the answer to Phoebe's question, that would be the next day's problem.

At ten o'clock, Prue had sent them all up to bed. She wanted everyone to get a good night's sleep. She was the residing guardian in the house, though, as Sam was on a 'business trip', and would be coming home late the next day. Everyone agreed and headed up to bed, Piper a little bit more willing than the others. She knew that their questions would be coming soon, and she didn't feel like answering them. She wasn't ready for it. She wasn't read to tell her friends about her entire life, or at least all that she could remember. She couldn't remember anything before she came into Daniel's care, but, then again, what person could remember things from before they were three years old? Very few, and she wasn't one of them.

_Creak._

Piper shot straight up, and glanced frantically around the dark room. Nothing was in there, as far as she could tell. "Calm down, Piper." Piper told herself, using her real name. She hadn't even had the guts to tell her friends THAT yet.

"It's okay. There's nothing bad in this house. It's an old house. Old houses creak." Piper slowed down her breathing, and laid her head back down. After that little scare, Piper actually wanted to get to sleep. 'What I can't see can't really hurt me.' she thought to herself. She knew it was childish, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to feel any pain if she slept.

Just as she closed her eyes, an extremely loud CRACK resounded through the room, and sharp pitter-patters hit the roof. A loud rumble could be hear in the distance. Piper jumped out of her bed. She had never liked thunderstorms, and she was way to stressed and fearful to be able to cope with being alone during a storm. She needed comfort. She needed love. She needed safety. She needed... Leo.

Piper knew that her boyfriend could give her all of those things. Even though she knew he was an angel, she still wanted to be with him. They were still together, and well in love. She headed towards the door, and stepped into the dark hallway.

T:T:T

Out in the hall, Piper fumbled around looking for Leo's door. She knew where it was by heart, but still needed a minute or two to find it in the dark.

When she opened, she saw her boyfriend's sleeping form. He was faced away from her, his covered just draped over his legs. By the sight of his bare back, Piper knew that he was most likely only in his boxers. Ignoring the lightness that the thought brought to her heart, Piper stepped cautiously into the room.

She was regretting coming in the first place, as she didn't want to wake him. She knew that he needed sleep, as they would have a lot more to deal with in the morning. But, lightening cracked outside again, and she gave a small yelp of surprise. Leo seemed to have heard.

He shot straight up. "What? Who's there?" he asked groggily, quickly looking around the room. His eyes settled on Piper, and his lips curled a bit in a smile. He scooted over on the bed, and cleared a spot for her. Piper got the message, and quickly ran over to the bed as another thunder roll came booming. "Didn't want to be left alone?" Leo asked, pulling Piper closer to his body. Piper shook her head meekly. "I've always been afraid of thunderstorms." she said quietly, so that he had to strain his ears to hear her. He hugged her even tighter. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." he said, looking down into her eyes. "I know."

Leo smiled at Piper's response. "Come on, let's get some sleep." he said, and pulled her down so that they were both lying down on his bed. She curled up into him, feeling his warmth flow through her body. He gazed down at her, admiring how beautiful she looked lying next to him with her eyes closed. He gave her a kiss on the forehead, before trying to get to sleep himself.

T:T:T

Just as Piper drifted into a restful sleep, one of the other girl's sleep became restless.

_Phoebe walked through the front doors to the Manor, and wandered around the house. She heard a noise coming from the conservatory, and walked towards it. When she arrived in the room, a little girl was sitting in the middle of the floor. Her brunette hair was pulled up into two cute little pigtails. It was Little Piper. There were bits of paper and various crayons strewn around her small figure on the floor, and she was humming. Her brown eyes were looking intently on whatever she was drawing. The tune that she was humming began getting louder and louder as Phoebe continued walking towards her. Suddenly, Little Piper began singing in her three-year-old voice:_

_Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack,_

_All dressed in black, black, black._

_She has a knife, knife, knife,_

_Stuck in her back, back, back._

_She cannot breathe, breathe, breathe._

_She cannot cry, cry, cry._

_That's why she begs, begs, begs._

_She begs to die, die, die._

_Just feet away from Little Piper, Phoebe stopped. That was a version of "Miss Mary Mack" that she had never heard before, and it scared the hell out of her. Why was Little Piper singing this wacked-out version of the children's song? Phoebe didn't know, but she decided to look at what the girl was drawing. Something inside her pulled her towards it. She looked over the little girl's shoulder, and gasped at what she saw._

_Right there, on the paper the little girl was drawing on, was a very graphic picture. It was only drawn in black and red, despite all of the different colors Little Piper was using. It even looked as if it weren't even done in crayon. It was a drawing of a girl, in her teens. Her long hair was the part of hear head facing outwards, so Phoebe couldn't see who it was. All that she really seemed to notice, though, was the blood pouring out of the girl's back. There was a knife sticking out of the wound, and crimson blood was gushing everywhere, splattering everything. It seemed as if the blood was spreading by the moment, even though it was just a drawing. _

_Phoebe stared at the picture, and something clicked in her head. "No, no, this can't be real. This is a dream." she said, backing away from Little Piper. She had come to that conclusion after she thought about everything that was impossible in it. Little Piper looked up at her for the first time. Her brown eyes made a connection with Phoebe's, and the two just stared at each other for a moment. "No, it is real, Phoebe." As Little Piper spoke, it seemed as if her voice was getting deeper, more grown-up. "It's a premonition." _

_Just as Phoebe was still staring in shock at the little girl, the latter's eyes widened. Little Piper fell face-first into her drawing. A knife was sticking out of her back._

Phoebe shot up from the couch, shaking and sweating. She let out a blood-curdling scream.

T:T:T:T

AN: Okay, I just made the story a hell of a lot creepier, didn't I? Oh, well. I liked it. I hope you review! Oh, and the Miss Mary Mack song? That weird version is NOT MINE! It's from WHITE IS FOR MAGIC by Laurie Faria Stolarz.


	20. A Sister Found

AN: Hey, guys. Sorry it's been so long, I've just had school, then summer school (voluntarily), then vacation, then summer work (grr...) I've been really busy, with barely any time to even review the stories I read. Seriously, I've been doing much less of that. Anyway, I also wanted to say that I'm not going to be posting the responses to reviews anymore, but I'll review my own story with my responses. So, if you want to see the response to your review, just look at the reviews for the chapter you reviewed. Okay, that's all.

Enjoy!

Chapter 20:

T:T:T:T

"What was that?" Leo asked, shooting up from his lying position. His quick motion startled Piper awake, as she had been sleeping in his arms.

"What was what?" She quickly asked her boyfriend. Piper could feel her heart speed up in her chest.

"That scream," replied Leo with fear in his voice. Piper's eyes widened. She began shaking all over. He's back, he's back, he's back, Piper kept repeating in her mind.

Leo glanced down at his girlfriend's trembling figure, and quickly took her into his arms. He wanted to just sit there and hold her until she wasn't scared anymore, but he knew that he couldn't ignore his charges. Still torn, he made himself and Piper disappear in a flurry of blue and white orbs.

T:T:T

Meanwhile, Prue and Paige were lifting themselves off of the floor in the hallway. Prue was rubbing her head, and Paige was furiously rubbing her hand along her right side.

"Did you have to run into me, literally?" Prue asked her youngest sister. Paige glared at her older sister.

"Come on," she said, and grabbed Prue's hand. The two unknowingly disappeared in the same magical lights as the couple in the next room over, at the exact same time.

T:T:T

Phoebe was silently crying, rocking back and forth on the couch. She was so scared by that dream. _What does it mean? She asked herself. Why did my premonition come to me that way? Why did it use my dead sister?_

Phoebe was distracted from her thoughts when she heard the tell-tale chimes of orbing. Two sets of the glowing light balls appeared in front of her. When they disappeared, four people were revealed. They were the four people that she desperately needed at that moment.

"Phoebe," Prue whispered softly and quickly placed herself next to her sister's shaking form. The younger teenager just leaned into her older sister's body, trying to find comfort in the warm embrace. Paige sat by her sister's other side, and began reassuringly rubbing Phoebe's back. She threw a quick glance at Piper before looking back at her crying sister.

Piper took that as her cue to join the bonding moment. She eased herself out of Leo's arms and walked over to where the couch. She grasped Phoebe's right hand between her own two and brushed it comfortingly. The four stayed in that position until a few minutes later, when Phoebe's tears subsided.

"Thanks," Phoebe whispered. She reached up with her left hand and wiped the tear streaks from her cheeks.

"No problem," Paige responded, and helped her sister wipe the moisture off of her face.

"Honey," Prue began uneasily, not wanting to upset her sister further. "Why were you crying?" Phoebe sniffed and looked up at her sisters and best friend.

"I... I had a premonition." She said vaguely. She didn't want to remember her dream. Leo walked over and sat by his girlfriend's side.

"Phoebe," he said gently, "what did you see?" Phoebe gulped. She didn't want to repeat it, but she knew that she had to in order to do something about it.

"I walked through our house, and I heard something in the living room. There was a little girl, and she was drawing. She began singing... this really creepy version of Miss Mary Mack. And she was drawing with crayons, but her picture was anything but preschool. It was a black and red sketch of this girl... she was stabbed in the back. I couldn't believe it; I thought I was dreaming. But... the little girl said 'it's not a dream, it's a premonition'. Then she fell forward and she... she had a knife in her back!" Phoebe screamed the last part, and droplets of water poured down from her brown eyes again.

"Oh, sweetie..." Piper said, and cupped Phoebe's face in her hands.

"Phoebe," Leo began, "I know how hard this is for you, but I think that we need to get a handle on this and save the innocent." Piper nodded.

"He's right," she said, "We need to put my problem on hold, and work with your premonition. From the sound of it, this girl doesn't have a lot of time."

"Okay," Prue said, standing up and clapping her hands. She had transferred immediately from mother mode to commander mode. "Phoebe, describe the picture of the girl to Paige, and she'll try and copy it. You know how well she draws. Leo, you orb up and check with the Elders about this, and I'll look through the BoS to see if I can find anything about this. Alexa, you uh..."

"Make coffee," Piper finished for Prue. "You guys know how to deal with all of this much better than I do, and it's a little way I can help." After getting her point across, Piper turned and headed into the kitchen.

Everyone else was about to do that same when Phoebe spoke up.

"Wait..."" Prue, Paige, and Leo turned around.

"What?" Paige asked, confused.

"The little girl in my premonition she was... Piper." Phoebe whispered. Not that she didn't care about her best friend, but she had wanted to share this information with only her family, as almost no one outside of it knew about her lost older sister.

Prue, Paige, and Leo's jaws dropped.

"What?" Prue asked, a little loudly. She was always the most sensitive when it came to the topic of the fourth sister.

"It was little Piper. She was the one singing, she was the on drawing, and she was the one... with the knife in her back." Phoebe breathed, looking away from her family. After composing herself, she turned back towards them. "What do you think this means?"

"I don't know." Prue said truthfully.

"I might," said Paige, and the others turned towards her now. "Maybe... maybe the demons that will kill this girl are the same ones that killed our sister. Maybe this is our chance to finally find them, and get what we've always wanted... answers." Her family just stared at her for a moment. Finally, Leo nodded.

"I'll talk to the Elders about it, and hope that this isn't another one of the premonitions that they didn't send you." With that, Leo orbed out.

"I guess I better go, too." Prue said, and began quickly running up the stairs.

"Prue!" Phoebe called out to her older sister. Prue turned around in the middle of the staircase, tapping her foot impatiently. Phoebe gulped, fearing her older sister's reaction to what she was about to say. "Don't do anything rash. We want answers as much as you do, and we don't want to lose you to them too, okay?" Prue nodded curtly, and sprinted up the rest of the staircase and out of sight.

Paige turned to Phoebe, her expression downcast.

"I hope she heard you." she said, and opened the closet, revealing a variety of art supplies.

"Let's get this over with." Phoebe said, as Paige sat down. Phoebe slowly began describing the picture in her premonition to her younger sister, as the latter drew.

T:T:T

_Do something rash? Do something rash? How the hell am I supposed to NOT do something rash?_ Prue thought to herself, roughly flipping the pages in the Book of Shadows. _Piper was my little sister, and it's MY FAULT she's dead! I want revenge, and I want revenge NOW!_

With her last thought, books began flying off of a nearby bookshelf, crashing violently to the floor. Prue stared at the wreckage, taking in deep breaths. Okay, I have to calm myself down. My anger is getting out of control.

After a few meditating breaths, Prue returned to the book of Shadows. Staring at the page she realized that she did not recognize it. Great, now my emotions are getting in the way of my search. Prue had quickly gone from straight-on fuming to self-pity.

"I have to get control of myself," whispered Prue under her breath. She turned and gazed at the only item left on the ravaged bookshelf. It was a small picture, with three little girls, a brunette with pigtails and big brown eyes in the middle. "For you, Piper, for you."

T:T:T

Paige glanced quizzically at the black and red picture in front of her. After a moment, she turned to Phoebe, who was looking over the former's shoulder.

"Are you sure this is it?" Paige asked, pointing her charcoal pencil's eraser at the graphic drawing. Phoebe nodded, her eyes watering again.

"It's exactly the same," she responded. She then stood up, and walked over to the nearby armchair, taking a seat there. Paige laid the drawing flat on her lap, and leaned over it, hiding the unsightly image from her sister's vision.

"How are you holding up?" Paige asked, her eyebrows furrowing at the sight of her sister. Phoebe smiled uneasily, and sunk further back into the comfortable chair.

"Not too well," she admitted, taking a deep breath. "It's just-" Phoebe was suddenly interrupted in her revelation by the entrance of her best friend.

"You guys doing okay?" Piper asked, setting two coffee cups on the wooden coffee table in front of both the armchair and the couch.

"Yeah," Phoebe and Paige answered in unison, making quick eye contact. Even though she was their best friend, the two still didn't feel like sharing the dark family secret with her.

"Okay," Piper said, not exactly believing them. "I guess I'll go and bring these up to Prue." Piper held up another coffee cup with two chocolate chip cookies on the side. "See ya." With that last comment, Piper trotted up the stairs. Without regard to their interruption, the two continued their conversation where they had just left off.

"I mean," Phoebe began again, "why am I the one chosen for all of this? Why do I have to be given the clues to figure out?" Paige leaned forward and put her hand comfortingly on her older sister's knee.

"Oh, Phoebe..." she trailed off, not really knowing what to say. "Um... I guess it's because of your power to see things that nobody else can see."

"I know, it's just a really heavy burden sometimes." Phoebe admitted mournfully. Paige stood up, feeling she couldn't comfort her sister anymore. She put her pencil back in the box in the closet.

"At least we finally get answers about Piper's death." Paige said cheerfully. "I mean, why'd they have to kill her then? Why couldn't they have waited a year or two?" Phoebe stared at her younger sister, not knowing what the pale brunette was getting at. "Why couldn't they have waited until I could have a memory or two of her?" Paige spoke very softly, and Phoebe had to strain her ears to hear her. As soon as she comprehended what the younger girl was saying, Phoebe's eyes grew wide.

"Oh, Paige," she said, walking over and enveloping her sister in a hug. "This must be so hard on you." Paige nodded, and Phoebe knocked a hair out of the former's eyes. "I mean, Prue and I have been so lost in our own memories and need for revenge, we haven't taken time to consider our baby sister. I'm so sorry, sweetie." Paige looked up into her older sister's eyes.

"It's okay, Phoebe, I just... feel left out whenever you and Prue even hint about her. I wasn't in that part of your lives, and I feel like I should have somehow, that I should be experiencing the pain that you and she are. I wish I was, just to have known my sister." With that, everything Paige said afterwards became unintelligible as she buried her face in Phoebe's shoulder.

"Hush, honey, it's okay. It's all right." Phoebe said reassuringly, rubbing her sister's back and leading her back over to the couch. After a few moments, Paige wiped the glistening teardrops from her porcelain features.

"I'm okay now," Paige said, smiling up at Phoebe. "Now, let's get back to the demonic problem at hand. Well, one of them, at least." Paige said, and reached towards the drawing sitting on the coffee table.

"Good idea," Phoebe said, and glanced at the cups of coffee, yet untouched by the two sisters. "I hope Alexa made these with extra caffeine." Phoebe said, and Paige laughed, seeming to forget her tear fest just moments earlier. Her smile quickly turned into a puzzled frown, as when Phoebe had picked up the hot mug of coffee, she had gasped and closed her eyes. Phoebe was pulled into a premonition.

_It was pitch black. All that could be heard were the sound of soft breathing and, occasionally, the sound of metal-on-metal. Suddenly, footsteps and a clatter of keys made it evident that someone was nearing. The breathing came faster. Now, the click of a turning lock, and footsteps on metal. A strangled breath. A deep, eerie voice rang against the confinement._

"_My dear Piper, we meet again. It's been twelve long years."_

Phoebe blinked her eyes a few times, and stared at the concerned face of her younger sister.

"What did you see?" Paige asked, after Phoebe hadn't spoken for a moment.

"Oh my God," whispered Phoebe, sounding shocked. "Piper, she-she's... alive."

T:T:T

Prue was still concentrating on the picture when she heard someone softly open the creaking attic door. Prue swiftly turned her head around, briefly fanning out her raven hair. She sighed. It was only Alexa, with what looked to be coffee and cookies. Prue's mood immediately improved.

"Oh, yummy," she said happily, and quickly ran over to where Piper had set the cookies were set, on a trunk near the middle of the room.

"Thought you'd like it," Piper said, smiling. She was happy she could help, even if it meant being the sisters' cook.

"Thank you so much!" Prue said, and began sipping on the coffee.

"And," Piper held up the plate of cookies, "I have these for you. Chocolate chip. They're your favorite, right?" Piper inched the plate closer to Prue's nose. "You know you want some."

Prue was just staring at the plate. She hadn't had chocolate chip cookies since she was five, since the day her little sister disappeared. How could her friend have known that she had once upon a time liked the treats? And, come to think of it, how did she know where the kitchen was on the first day she was at the Manor? And how did Phoebe get the premonitions of her if she wasn't supposed to?

Prue stopped thinking, and looked at the cookies. The seventeen-year-old recalled her younger sister holding the cookies in front of her in much the same way. Recalling the memory, Prue smiled for a moment, and gazed up into her sister's best friend's now very confused eyes. Suddenly, Prue brought herself back to the present.

Her eyes widened. She was looking into the same chocolate brown eyes.

"Piper?"

T:T:T:T

AN: Dun dun dun! Yes, the moment many of you have been waiting for! Haha! There will be lotsa angst next chappie... Also, this is probably the longest chapter that I have written for this story. It's over seven pages! And, trust me, that's quite long. Please review!


	21. A Powerful Energy

Piper's breath lodged in her throat. Her heart pounded in her chest. The dust in the attic seemed to stop circulating for a moment... just one moment. Trying to find her voice again, Piper made a series of unintelligible noises.

"I-Uh-Do-Ha-Wh- What?" She asked, taking a step away from Prue. She was shaking from head to toe, with perspiration starting to bead on her forehead. Was what Piper thought the older girl said true? If it was, Prue seemed oblivious to piper's nervous stature.

"Oh, nothing," whispered Prue, suddenly turning away from Piper. Her eyes were focused on the floor, and her hands were keeping themselves busy by messing with teh fluff on Aunt Pearl's couch. "It was nothing."

Piper didn't know how, but she suddenly brought her hand up to Prue's shoulder, causing the older girl to face the younger one again. "How did you know my real name?" Piper asked, her voice so quiet that Prue could barely hear her. But, in Prue's mind, it was loud and clear.

"That's your name?" Prue asked, almost choking on the words. She couldn't believe it. She had found her little sister, the one thought to be lost so long ago. "Piper," she whispered, wrapping ehr arms around the younger one. Piper was still completely oblivious to why her real name was so important, so she awkwardly hugged Prue back. When Prue finally let go, Piper let out a low sigh of relief. It had seemed as if Prue had almost squeezed the air out of her. "I'm so happy I found you."

Piper stepped back at that comment, wondering why Prue had been looking for her. "What do you mean?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

Prue opened her mought, and then closed it repeatedly. She couldn't find the words to tell her little sister who she really was. After all this time, she couldn't speak. Her eyes wandered around the room for something, anything, to help her. They settled on the family tree in the corner of the room. Prue gently glided across the room, and then reached for the rolled up parchment on the shelf. Just before her hand touched the yellowed paper, the attic door burst open. It revealed a panting Phoebe and Paige, who held her hand over her heart.

"Piper," Phoebe finally fit in between her gasps. "She's... alive," Piper's eyes grew wider than they already were, if that was even possible. Prue gasped, these qords squelching any doubts she may have had of their friend, Alexa Gordon, truly being their long-lost sister, Piper.

"What does she mean?" Piepr asked, her wide eys turning towards prue for guidance. Paige glanced from Phoebe, to Piper, and finally to Prue.

"Oh my God, Prue, I'm so sorry. We didn't know she was still up here." She said, her eyes widening in fear.

"It's okay," said Prue quickly, trying to get back to what she had originally been doing. Phoebe and Paige glanced at each other, slightly worried at Prue's trivial wave off of the subject.

"Why am I not supposed to be here?" Piper asked. She knew that she was asking a lot of questions, but there were still a million more floating around her brain for every second that she was in the attic.

"No reason," Prue said kindly, finally pulling the family tree from its resting place. She placed it neatly on the table next to the shelf, unrolling it carefully. Out of curiosity, all three of her younger sisters walked over to see what she was doing.

Piper's eyes scanned down the parchment of the Halliwell family tree, starting with Melinda Warren. Towards the bottom, she reached sisters - Penelope and Phoebe - then Penelope's daughters - Patricia and Pearl - and finally the daughters of Patricia. She gasped. she couldn't believe it. Right between Prudence and Phoebe, two of the girls standing right beside her, was one name that would change her life from then on: "Piper Halliwell". She looked beneath the name, and saw both a date of birth, and a date of death. The girl had died when she was almost four years old.

Piper glanced up at Prue, trying to confirm waht she had just read. "So...?" She began, not really able to formulate a question at the moment. Prue nodded, a wide smile beginning to form on her face. Piper almost collapsed at that moment of realization. The reason she moved to San Francisco, the reason she met the Halliwells... again. She met them again. She already knew them. She already knew her family... she had a family, a real family. She plopped herself down on teh couch, trying not to ahve a heart attack then and there. She couldn't believe it. She was not alone.

"Prue, why'd you just show her that?" Phoebe asked, her brain going into overdrive. Too much had happened in such a short span of time that she doubted she could add two and two together and come out with four. Her brain was that frazzled.

Prue looked up at her younger sisters, not sure what to tell them. It was just soaking in that Alexa was really Piper, her long-lost sister. How could she tell her younger sisters, who hadn't really met their sister before she was taken? How could they all adjust to the fact that their three-year-old dead sister was now the scared and scarred fifteen-year-old sitting rigidly on their aunt's old couch?

"Guys," Prue began, gulping. Again, her tongue seemed like it weighed a thousand pounds. She couldn't even open her mouth to get the words out this time. Luckily, someone else spoke on her behalf. 

" I'm your sister." Piper said, still looking stunned, but more grounded than she had been. Her hand was still over her heart, and tears were building up in her eyes. She looked at the two younger girls, watching their reactions to the news.

Phoebe and Paige looked at each other, and then back at Prue and Alexa. Or was it Prue and Piper? The two younger girls didn't know. 

"You're joking, right?" Phoebe asked, looking between the two. The only response she received was a head shake from Prue, who still couldn't articulate correctly. 

"Oh my god," whispered Paige. She then just plopped herself down on the couch, next to Piper. "So... you're my sister?" She asked, her eyes wide with innocence. Piepr's heart melted at her youngest sister, because, well, Paige was her youngest sister. She was related to the Halliwells. 

"Yeah, Missy Paige, I am," answered Piper. Paige immediately wrapped her arms around Piper, feeling her touch and breathing in her lilac shampoo. Tears began flowing from Piper's eyes, as she couldn't hold them back any longer. She hugged her little sister back.

Phoebe stared at Piper, remember the first time they had met. Phoebe had hated her at first, but they had warmed up to each other quickly. And now, she knew why. She knew why she had received those premonitions that weren't sent by the Elders. She knew why Piper had so easily fit into the Halliwell family, and why she had not been scared away by her first demon fight. Pheobe was supposed to find her sister, and finally complete her family. Well, as complete as it could be without a real guardian.

Phoebe and Piper made eye contact, both having the same realizations.

"Come here," Piper breathed, holding out her right arm, as it was not being taken up by Paige. Phoebe jumped onto the couch next to her older sister, snuggling against her tightly. Prue looked down at her three younger sisters, a smile stretched across her face in spite of the droplets raining down it. 

"Did you really think you could leave big sister out?" Prue asked. The three girls looked up at her, and Paige immediately scooted closer to Piper in order to make room for Prue on the couh. Prue, happy that she culd sit but upset that it wasn't next to their newly found sister, sat in the small space left for her. It was strange for the sisters to all sit on a couch that was built for two, but since they were all small, they managed. Prue kindly reached across Paige and Piper to reach Phoebe, who held up her spare hand for Prue to grasp.

Suddenly, a spark seemed to run through the four sisters, shocking them out of their happy little daze. They all felt something strange flow through them; it was an abnormal energy that still felt comforting and warm. Unfortunately, though, the feeling made Phoebe remember why her and Paige had come up to the attic in the first place.

"Wait," Phoebe said, hasitly wiping the tears from her eyes, leaving glistening smears across her cheeks. Prue, Piper, and Paige all turned towards her, their tears immediately halted. They looked at her questioningly and expectantly, waiting for her to continue. Phoebe gulped, scared of what she had to tell her sisters next. 

"The reason Paige and I came up here was because I had a premonition." Phoebe disentangled herself from the sisters' huddled mass, standing away from the rest of the group. 

"What did you see?" Prue asked, immediately losing her happiness. Phoebe's tone of voice was serious, meaning that the premonition wasn't a good one. Phoebe looked over towards her sisters, grimacing at the thought or ruining the happy moment.

"I didn't really see anything, Prue. It was pitch black." This grabbed all of the sister's attention, and caused them to stop hugging and get down to business. "But, I did hear things. There was metal hitting metal, and really shallow breathing. It was... scary. And not just that, it was terrifying. I didn't know what was going on, and then... a door opened, and this... demon, I think, came in or stood in the doorway, I don't know. He... he said..." Phoebe paused, unable to remember what the demon had said. Unknowingly, she called the premonition back.

_"My dear Piper, we meet again. It's been twelve long years."_

Suddenly, it wasn't dark anymore. Phoebe could see clearly what was going on. Seh was in a cage, sitting right next to Piper, who was chained to the wall of the captivity by links that seemed like very complicated hanfcuffs. Phoebe looked around. There was no door into the cage. There was no lock. Phoebe then looked at the demon who had made his presence known. Well, at least she thought it was a guy because of the voice. The figure was very tall, well over six feet, and covered from head to toe in a black cloak.

"Who are you?" Piepr asked, her voice trembling. It was obvious to Phoebe that her sister was scared out of her mind. The cloaked man suddenly appeared inside the cage, and he bent down to Piper's level. He roughly grabbed her chin in his hand, forcing her to look up at him.

"Why, dear, I'm your worst nightmare." He reached out and slapped Piper across the face, causing her head to be sent flying to the side. A large red mark appeared seconds later, in the shape of a hand.

When PHoebe cut out of the premonition, she fell to the floor, completely out of breath. Immediately, Prue was by her side, helping her up.

:" Are you okay, Pheebs?" Prue asked, worry written all voer her featrues. Pheobe nodded, not noticing the cold sweat covering her body.

"I countinued the premonition." PHoebe said, easing her own way over to an easy chair right next to the couch. Her sisters migrated over before she started talking again. "I was freaked, Prue, I really was," Phoebe elaborated, receving a hug from her oldest sister in return. Phoebe remaine dunaware of it, though, because her gaze was focused on piper.

"Oh, God, Piper," she sai,d and reached out to hold Piper's hand. Piper grasped it, now knowing that the premonition was aobut her. Phoebe sniffled, trying to hold back tears. Seh had cried too many in the past few days.

"It was you, Piper, chained up inside a cage with no exit. There was this demon, too. He was really tall, and he seemed reponsible for having you in the cage. He... he slapped you and threatened you and... oh, God." Phoebe said, unable to continue.

"Shh, sweetie, it's okay," Piper said, rubbing her sister's back. "Nothing has happened yet." The sisters all embraced for a moment, when suddenly they heard a noise that disrupted their sister moment.

It was clapping.

"Aw, look at the little, soon-to-be-dead witches," said a demon in the corner of th eroom. he slowly and mockingly clapped his hand, smirking menacingly. All of thet sisters' eyes widened,and Prue stood up to defend the Book of Shadows.

"Prue, don't!" Phoebe shouted, and grabbed onto Prue's right hand. Phoebe was still sandwiched between Piper and Paige, and Prue' left hand was on the Book of Shadows. The girls felt something they had not felt before... immense power. It flowed through their veins, making them all feel supercharged. The demons gathered around them stared as all four of the sister floated into the air, lifted by an unseen force. A froce of Good.

T:T:T:T

AN: Sorry for taking so long to update, but as you might be able to see, I have another fic going now. Please, please check it out, even if you don't like fics with Chris and future stuff. I'm trying to make it not have a focus (okay, it leans towards Piper, but that's what my fics do). But, everyone has a plot line! I'm so proud of myself... teehee... Please please review! Also, I regret to inform you guys that I want to take Crazy for this Girl and Fixing a Broken Family off. I haven't really updated them in over a year, and I don't like that I'm just letting them rot. Tell me if you want to take one of them over, or if you're happy I'm taking them off. Sorry! 


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